Objective: This study investigates the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), considering different clinical forms of the disease. IL-6, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, and BDNF, a neurotrophic factor, are implicated in the pathophysiology of PD and may be influenced by COVID-19 vaccination.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 infection on patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), comparing those who received COVID-19 vaccines and those who did not, considering gender, age, and clinical forms of PD. Additionally, we aimed to determine the average age of patients and the ratio of men to women among PD patients.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted on PD patients who either received COVID-19 vaccines or did not. Serum levels of IL-6 and BDNF were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Patients were stratified based on clinical forms of PD, including tremor-dominant, akinetic-rigid, and mixed types. Statistical analyses were performed to compare IL-6 and BDNF levels between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, as well as among different clinical forms of PD.

Results: Among PD patients, those who received COVID-19 vaccines demonstrated significantly lower levels of IL-6 compared to unvaccinated counterparts, irrespective of clinical PD subtype. Additionally, BDNF levels were significantly higher in vaccinated PD patients compared to unvaccinated individuals, particularly in those with akinetic-rigid and mixed clinical forms. Moreover, within the vaccinated group, IL-6 levels were inversely correlated with BDNF levels, suggesting a potential immunomodulatory effect of COVID-19 vaccination on neurotrophic factors in PD patients.

Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccination appears to modulate inflammatory and neurotrophic pathways in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Vaccinated PD patients exhibit reduced levels of IL-6 and increased levels of BDNF, indicative of a potential protective effect against neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. These findings underscore the importance of vaccination strategies in managing PD pathology and warrant further investigation into the immunomodulatory effects of COVID-19 vaccines in neurological disorders.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/immunomodulatory-effects-of-covid-19-vaccination-on-inflammatory-and-neurotrophic-factors-in-parkinsons-disease-insights-from-clinical-subtypes/