阿茲海默症的免疫觀

Alzheimer's Disease: The Immunologic View

老年失智症（senile dementia） 隨著人口老化而日益重要，其中以阿茲海默症最為常見。類澱粉斑的形成是造成阿茲海默症的重要原因之一；如何避免類澱粉斑的形成而免於阿茲海默症，因此成為重要的醫學課題。最近的科學發現，中樞神經組織類澱粉斑的產生，可能與免疫反應有關。這種發現對阿茲海默症的治療產生一線曙光；也許可以就根據此機制，深入探討並製成可靠的疫苗，用來預防阿茲海默症。

Senile dementia is becoming very important in the gradually aging population, and the disease could be a result of many different causes. Among these, Alzheimer's disease is the most common. Pathologically, deposition of amyloid plaque in the central nerve system was most frequently observed in patients with Alzheimer's disease. It was therefore hypothesized that amyloid plaque is the main reason for causing Alzheimer's disease, and removal of amyloid plaque could probably prevent the deterioration and possibly cure the disease. Recently, it was further demonstrated that the occurrence of amyloid deposition could be the result of immune response. It is thus reasonable to suggest that an adequate vaccine could then prevent or even cure the disease.