Efectos inmunológicos de la infección de Toxoplasma y su relación con la Enfermedad de Alzheimer.

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.

Publicación de un artículo internacional en revista indexada.