Gulf War Syndrome
Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) 2013: Unveiling the pathogenic, clinical and diagnostic aspects
SYNOPSIS
Israeli and Italian researchers demonstrate that exposure to aluminum in vaccines can lead to autoimmune and brain dysfunction.
CITATION
Perricone C, Colafrancesco S, Mazor RD, Soriano A, Agmon-Levin N, Shoenfeld Y. Journal of Autoimmunity. 2013;47:1-16.
SUMMARY
Environmental factors play a critical role in the induction of autoimmunity, with an interplay between genetic susceptibility and environment. Several neurologic demyelinating diseases have been reported following vaccination, notably Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) (an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system). A number of the most common vaccines appear to have some involvement with autoimmunity.
Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (Shoenfeld’s syndrome): clinical and immunological spectrum
SYNOPSIS
Scientists from Mexico and Israel explain adjuvants (aluminum) used in vaccines can induce autoimmunity.
CITATION
Vera-Lastra O, Medina G, Del-Pilar Cruz Dominguez M, Jara LJ. Expert Reviews-Clinical Immunology. 2013;9(4):361-373.
SUMMARY
Activation of the immune system by adjuvants could trigger manifestations of autoimmunity or autoimmune disease. Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) includes postvaccination phenomena, macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF), Gulf War syndrome and siliconosis. Various adjuvants used in vaccines enhance a specific immune response against antigens and may produce autoimmunity and autoimmune disease in experimental models and humans. “The clinical and laboratory data support an association between adjuvants and autoimmune diseases.”
Aluminum hydroxide injections lead to motor deficits and motor neuron degeneration
SYNOPSIS
Vaccine aluminum injected into mice created significant motor deficits and motor neuron degeneration.
CITATION
Christopher A. Shaw and Michael S. Petrik. Journal Inorganic Biochemistry, 2009 November; 103(11): 1555.
SUMMARY
“Aluminum-treated mice showed significantly increased apoptosis of motor neurons and increases in reactive astrocytes and microglial proliferation within the spinal cord and cortex. Morin stain detected the presence of aluminum in the cytoplasm of motor neurons with some neurons also testing positive for the presence of hyper-phosphorylated tau protein, a pathological hallmark of various neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. A second series of experiments was conducted on mice injected with six doses of aluminum hydroxide. Behavioural analyses in these mice revealed significant impairments in a number of motor functions as well as diminished spatial memory capacity. The demonstrated neurotoxicity of aluminum hydroxide and its relative ubiquity as an adjuvant suggest that greater scrutiny by the scientific community is warranted. Overall, the results reported here mirror previous work that has clearly demonstrated that aluminum, in both oral and injected forms, can be neurotoxic.”