ABSTRACT
Neuroinflammation is a common feature of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Sterile injury of the nervous system leads to innate immune response similar to those triggers by viral infection of the nervous system. Like most tissues of the organism, the nervous system express different types of receptors capable to sense danger and pathogen signals. Lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycans found in the bacteria walls, as well as viral proteins expressed at the surface of the viral particles, dsRNA, or DNA released by viruses in the early steps of their replication can be detected by the host pattern recognition receptors. The initial detection of microbes and danger signals is followed by the recruitment of leukocytes to the site of infection or injury. The innate immune response in the brain is less efficient than those in the periphery.
