[Autoimmune phenomena in the aging, cerebral atherosclerosis, Parkinsonism (author's transl)]

Studies were undertaken on the immune reactions in aging at cerebral atherosclerosis and parkinsonism. With age a number of changes occurred, which were characterized by a decrease in specific and non-specific immunity, against the background of which the autoimmune reactions were developing. There was an increase in the frequency of the detection of antibodies to antigens of the brain as well as in those of the aorta, heart, liver and pancreatic gland. The "peak" of autoimmune reactions was registered at 65 years in men and 75 years in women. There were lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, which together with homologic antigens inhibited the migration of macrophages. In subjects aged 90 years and over the autoantibodies occurred in a lower percent of cases as compared with the subjects aged 60--74. In subjects aged 45--55 with cerebral atherosclerosis the indices under study appeared to be close to those in healthy persons aged 60--74. Still more marked immunological shifts were found in patients with parkinsonism. The findings may suggest a certain role of the autoimmune mechanisms in pathogenesis of some forms of nervous pathology at late stages of ontogenesis and atherosclerosis.