Neuroinflammation

<p>Neuroinflammation is <a href="/facts/Inflammation/Ura86MIy">inflammation</a> of the <a href="/facts/Nervous_tissue/YY7qG0WD">nervous tissue</a>. It may be initiated in response to a variety of cues, including infection, <a href="/facts/Traumatic_brain_injury/DTq110vw">traumatic brain injury</a>, toxic <a href="/facts/Metabolite/nAyywVtA">metabolites</a>, or <a href="/facts/Autoimmunity/5cASmcfI">autoimmunity</a>. In the <a href="/facts/Central_nervous_system/k8I6To97">central nervous system</a> (CNS), including the <a href="/facts/Brain/EKla9NkJ">brain</a> and <a href="/facts/Spinal_cord/XbWLr917">spinal cord</a>, <a href="/facts/Microglia/fU9dhL72">microglia</a> are the resident innate immune cells that are activated in response to these cues. The CNS is typically an immunologically privileged site because peripheral immune cells are generally blocked by the <a href="/facts/Blood%25E2%2580%2593brain_barrier/xYzvVwdu">blood–brain barrier</a> (BBB), a specialized structure composed of <a href="/facts/Astrocyte/PBUuHKzS">astrocytes</a> and <a href="/facts/Endothelial_cells/L4ENFVnw">endothelial cells</a>. However, circulating peripheral immune cells may surpass a compromised BBB and encounter <a href="/facts/Neuron/G7CyTVdH">neurons</a> and <a href="/facts/Glial_Cells/F8BhPmaA">glial cells</a> expressing <a href="/facts/Major_histocompatibility_complex/UEPsjx3u">major histocompatibility complex</a> molecules, perpetuating the immune response. Although the response is initiated to protect the central nervous system from the infectious agent, the effect may be toxic and widespread inflammation as well as further migration of <a href="/facts/White_blood_cell/vsDunUK0">leukocytes</a> through the blood–brain barrier may occur.
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Neuroinflammation open-in-new

Neuroinflammation