INFLAMMATION IN THE CNS
Inflammatory responses in the CNS occur under several different conditions. I. Inflammatory response to intrinsic damage such as
stroke, trauma, or infection involves an acute inflammatory response, a delayed
inflammatory response, and a healing phase.
II. Response to extrinsic
inflammatory stimuli such as infection and chronic disease usually involves
a host of inflammatory mediators crossing the blood-brain barrier, triggering
release of prostaglandins and central neuronal dysfunction and loss. III.
Response to intrinsic proteinopathy or neurodegenerative processes such as
aberrant beta-amyloid plaque or tau neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer
disease is a slow, chronic inflammatory response that leads to synaptic dysfunction
and neuronal loss.