The effect of age on the occurrence of BP180 autoantibodies is supported by our previous results: the incidence of elevated BP180-NC16A autoantibody levels was higher (18%) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) (mean age 72 years) than those with MS (7.7%, mean age 49.4 years) (16, 17), although, compared with various forms of dementia, MS is associated with a clearly higher risk for developing BP (24). This evidence concerns the gene COL17A1 and early-onset autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease.