1: Trends Immunol. 2008 Aug;29(8):357-65. Epub 2008 Jul 1.

Why neurodegenerative diseases are progressive: uncontrolled inflammation drives
disease progression.

Gao HM, Hong JS.

Neuropharmacology Section, Laboratory of Pharmacology, National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences/National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle
Park, NC 27709, USA. Gao2@niehs.nih.gov

Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of chronic, progressive disorders
characterized by the gradual loss of neurons in discrete areas of the central
nervous system (CNS). The mechanism(s) underlying their progressive nature
remains unknown but a timely and well-controlled inflammatory reaction is
essential for the integrity and proper function of the CNS. Substantial evidence
has documented a common inflammatory mechanism in various neurodegenerative
diseases. We hypothesize that in the diseased CNS, interactions between damaged
neurons and dysregulated, overactivated microglia create a vicious
self-propagating cycle causing uncontrolled, prolonged inflammation that drives
the chronic progression of neurodegenerative diseases. We further propose that
dynamic modulation of this inflammatory reaction by interrupting the vicious
cycle might become a disease-modifying therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative
diseases.


PMID: 18599350 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]