BCG Vaccine Shifts Beta-Amyloid in 12 Older Adults Without Alzheimer’s as 23-Person Study Tracks Immune Changes
Updated
Updated · Medical News Today · Jul 6
BCG Vaccine Shifts Beta-Amyloid in 12 Older Adults Without Alzheimer’s as 23-Person Study Tracks Immune Changes
3 articles · Updated · Medical News Today · Jul 6
Summary
A 23-person Mass General Brigham study found BCG vaccination changed immune activity in blood and cerebrospinal fluid over 12 months in adults 55 and older.
In 12 participants without Alzheimer’s biomarkers, beta-amyloid fell in cerebrospinal fluid and rose in blood, a pattern researchers said may reflect improved clearance from the brain.
Immune cells in both blood and cerebrospinal fluid also became more responsive to later challenges without a rise in inflammatory markers, suggesting stronger function without harmful inflammation.
The 11 participants who already had Alzheimer’s pathology showed no similar biomarker shift, pointing to a possible benefit earlier in disease development.
Because the trial was small, open-label and lacked a placebo group, the findings are mechanistic only and need larger randomized studies to test clinical benefit.