Brain HealthT Cells and B Cells Are Driving Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease
For decades, neurodegeneration research focused on innate immune cells like microglia. This major review from Washington University shifts the spotlight to adaptive immunity — T cells, B cells, and antibodies — showing they play active roles in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS, and other neurodegenerative diseases. The authors synthesize genetic, neuropathological, and experimental evidence to explain how peripheral immune cells are recruited into the brain, what antigens may be triggering immune responses, and how these mechanisms overlap across diseases. Crucially, they identify adaptive immune manipulation as a promising therapeutic avenue. This reframing could reshape how next-generation neurodegeneration therapies are designed, moving beyond amyloid clearance toward immune modulation strategies.
