Antibodies in serum of patients with Alzheimer's disease cause immunolysis of cholinergic nerve terminals from the rat cerebral cortex.

A blind study showing that serum from patients with Alzheimer's disease causes immunolysis of mammalian brain synaptosomes is reported. Control, aged-matched, sera were largely without effect. The immunolysis was directed mainly against cholinergic synaptosomes. The data support the hypothesis that autoimmune mechanisms may operate in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.