ABSTRACT
Interest in CNS inflammation has grown rapidly over the past decade, driven primarily by the increasing evidence for a role of CNS inflammation in the development of important neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Targeting CNS inflammation may also allow the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, and other forms of neurodegeneration. Immunological and inflammatory mechanisms also contribute to pathology associated with CNS infection and demyelinating disorders. Other neurodegenerative diseases are major causes of morbidity and are responsible for a large proportion of health care costs, especially in populations in which the percentage of elderly people is increasing. Knowledge of the basic inflammatory processes and alteration of normal homeostatic mechanisms associated with these pathologies, coupled with our increasing awareness of novel molecular targets, will provide a strong platform for rational drug design to provide new and effective therapies.
