Inflammation in central nervous system injury

Abstract

Inflammation is a key component of host defence responses to peripheral inflammation and injury, but it is now also recognized as a major contributor to diverse, acute and chronic central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Expression of inflammatory mediators including complement, adhesion molecules, cyclooxygenase enzymes and their products and cytokines is increased in experimental and clinical neurodegenerative disease, and intervention studies in experimental animals suggest that several of these factors contribute directly to neuronal injury. Most notably, specific cytokines, such as interleukin–1 (IL–1), have been implicated heavily in acute neurodegeneration, such as stroke and head injury. In spite of their diverse presentation, common inflammatory mechanisms may contribute to many neurodegenerative disorders and in some (e.g. multiple sclerosis) inflammatory modulators are in clinical use. Inflammation may have beneficial as well as detrimental actions in the CNS, particularly in repair and recovery. Nevertheless, several anti–inflammatory targets have been identified as putative treatments for CNS disorders, initially in acute conditions, but which may also be appropriate to chronic neurodegenerative conditions.