Neuroimmunology of Alzheimer's disease: a conference report

A multidisciplinary group met under the auspices of the National Institute on Aging and the Dell Foundation at the Princess Resort in San Diego, CA on April 5-6, 1991. The meeting was organized by Dr. Caleb E. Finch, University of Southern California, Dr. Zaven Khachaturian, National Institute on Aging, Dr. William Markesbery, University of Kentucky, Dr. Patrick McGeer, University of British Columbia, and Dr. Joseph Rogers, Institute for Biogerontology Research, and covered recent data suggesting neuroimmune correlates of Alzheimer's disease (AD). These findings span many of the major immune system phenomena, from major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens through cytokines and the complement cascade and suggest that some facets of AD pathogenesis may be immune related.