The immunological status in Parkinson's disease.

It has been suggested that patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease have altered functions of the immune system. We determined certain immunological parameters in groups of Parkinson's disease patients who have been i) treated and ii) not been treated, with levodopa. Changes in the immune functions were observed to be more profound in Parkinson's disease patients than in age-matched controls. Treatment with levodopa induced an increase in interleukin-1 synthesis, and in IgM and IgA levels in plasma, which suggest a possible selective action on cells of the immune system.