Immune Responses in the Nervous System

This volume brings together a series of up-to-date and broad-based reviews from international researchers. It should provide the reader with a better understanding of cytokine actions in the nervous system with reference to neuroimmune diseases, and should be useful in helping to improve diagnosis and determining therapeutic measures. Many molecules and mechanisms classically associated with the peripheral immune system have been found to be active in the brain. In particular, invading and resident immune cells, microglia, acute-phase proteins, the complement pathway, cytokines and growth factors all exert effects on neuronal growth differentiation and responses to disease. The investigation of immune activation within the brain is a rapidly expanding field of research, particularly with regard to responses to acute neuronal disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis.