Immunological effects of Toxoplasma infection and its relationship with Alzheimer's disease.
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abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a forced intracellular parasite considered one of the most successful pathogens in the world due to the immune response provoked to produce long lasting infections in humans. This parasite has a preference for invading neurons, and this could lead to neurological and behavioral damage causing cognitive impairment. Subsequent findings have involved Toxoplasma gondii in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. It could be explained by the strong immune response, which produces inflammatory cytokines and neurotransmitter imbalance, triggered to remove the parasite from the body. Several studies, in both human and animal models, have reported controversial results. Some of them have found an association as a causal factor between toxoplasmosis and the appearance of dementia. However, other authors have not found an association between these two entities or have even found T. gondii as a neuroprotective factor in dementia. Due to all these contradictory data reported in the literature, the aim of this project is to review the most recent findings related to the positive and negative immunological effects of Toxoplasma gondii on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligated intracellular parasite considered one of the most successful pathogens over the world owing to the immunologic response elicited to produce long-lasting infections in humans. This parasite has a preference to invade neurons, and this could lead to neurological and behavioral damage causing cognitive impairment. Later findings have involved Toxoplasma gondii in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. It could be explained by the robust immunologic response, which produces inflammatory cytokines and neurotransmitter imbalance, elicited to get rid the parasite from the body. Several studies, in humans and animal models, have reported controversial results. Some of them have found an association as causal factor between Toxoplasmosis and the onset of dementia. However, other authors have not found an association between these two entities or even they have found T. gondii as a neuroprotective factor in dementia. Owing to all these contradictory data reported in the literature, the aim of this project is to review the newest findings related with the positive and negative immunologic effects of Toxoplasma gondii in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.
