Numerous auto-immune diseases have been associated with immune responses to both environmental toxins and antigenic food intakeiii. From peripheral neuropathies to migraines and ataxia, from acute myositis to chronic neuralgia, from Myasthenia Gravis to Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, in sensitive individuals, antigens can initiate this response by upregulating pro-inflammatory gene expression and an immune response.

As a result, the brain and Central Nervous System are extremely vulnerable to the effects of excess cytokine production and may initiate an auto-immune attack through, amongst other mechanisms, a process of antigenic molecular mimicry. For example, sporadic inclusion-body myositis, the most common cause of myalgia in people over 50, has been associated with a sensitivity to wheatiii. In one study 100% of sporadic inclusion-body myositis patients had a sensitivity to gluten. Removal of the offending antigen was associated with symptomatic relief. 

This response may cause pain throughout the body and has been identified with muscle tissue, developing brain and peripheral nervous tissueiv, liver epithelial cells, thyroid cells, pancreatic beta-cells, bone cells, skin tissue, and myocardium. As an example, 57% of patients with neurological dysfunction of obscure etiology have elevated antibodies to gliadin (a protein in wheat). Only 35% of this group also have histological evidence of Celiac Disease. The remaining 65% were identified with nonceliac gluten sensitivity with elevated self-antibodies where the target organ is cerebellum or peripheral nerves, a situation analogous to that of the skin in Dermatitis Herpetiformis. It appears that foods can directly stimulate an auto-immune response in sensitive individuals.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this Presentation Attendees will:
• Recognize the incident frequency of food sensitivities
• Recognize the likelihood of food sensitivities being an initiator of an inflammatory cascade
• Recognize the contribution of food as an environmental trigger in the initiation of development of autoimmune disease
• Recognize the importance of early testing and follow-up monitoring of food sensitivities and the initiation of the autoimmune cascade
• Become familiar with the effectiveness of testing-associated treatment for food sensitivities

PRESENTATION GOALS
These presentations will give attendees an understanding and appreciation of:
• The pathophysiology of food sensitivities contributing to various pain syndromes
• The diversity of non-gastrointestinal effects of food and chemical sensitivities
• The mechanism of cellular mimicry and potential initiating process of numerous auto-immune mechanisms
• Accurate, specific serology to identify both humoral and adaptive immune activation of food antigens

i https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20920818/
ii https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1377788/
iii https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17143894/
iv https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32179334/