How is autoimmunity affecting our brain?

There's been a lot of focus on the psychological and neurological impacts of autoimmune diseases. Neuroinflammatory disorders can occur when neuronal autoantibodies disrupt the communication between neurons, leading to conditions such as dementia, epilepsy, psychosis, or a severe form of encephalitis called autoimmune encephalitis.

One of the more well-known autoimmune neuroinflammatory disorders is multiple sclerosis (MS), where autoantibodies attack the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system), and is estimated to affect 2.8 million people worldwide. However, a recent study found that the majority of patients with autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis also experience mental health and neurological symptoms that are often overlooked. Thus, the connection between autoimmunity and neurological conditions may have been previously underestimated.

Recently, the German Research Foundation funded a 6.2-million-euro initiative to create a Clinical Research Unit at the Universitätsmedizin Berlin specifically aimed at studying autoantibodies in neurological diseases. The goal is to identify the prevalence, targets, and functions of autoantibodies in neurological diseases, as well as develop diagnostic tools and innovative therapies. Researchers there also believe that certain autoantibodies may play a role in diseases previously not associated with autoimmunity, such as stroke, degenerative forms of dementia (like Alzheimer's), and developmental disorders.

To support our work, please join our registry or share it with a friend who has an autoimmune condition. Donations are also greatly appreciated!