[reverett123]

You may have seen this already, but it won't hurt to post it again.


1. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 2009 Apr;35(2):132-46. Epub 2008 Dec 11.

Review: Role of developmental inflammation and blood-brain barrier dysfunction in
neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.

Stolp HB, Dziegielewska KM.

Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria,
Australia. hbstolp@unimelb.edu.au

The causes of most neurological disorders are not fully understood. Inflammation
and blood-brain barrier dysfunction appear to play major roles in the pathology
of these diseases. Inflammatory insults that occur during brain development may
have widespread effects later in life for a spectrum of neurological disorders.
In this review, a new hypothesis suggesting a mechanistic link between
inflammation and blood-brain barrier function (integrity), which is universally
important in both neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases, is proposed.
The role of inflammation and the blood-brain barrier will be discussed in
cerebral palsy, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and
multiple sclerosis, conditions where both inflammation and blood-brain barrier
dysfunction occur either during initiation and/or progression of the disease. We
suggest that breakdown of normal blood-brain barrier function resulting in a
short-lasting influx of blood-born molecules, in particular plasma proteins, may
cause local damage, such as reduction of brain white matter observed in some
newborn babies, but may also be the mechanism behind some neurodegenerative
diseases related to underlying brain damage and long-term changes in barrier
properties.

PMID: 19077110 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]