Detrimental and beneficial effects of injury-induced inflammation and cytokine expression in the nervous system.

Lesions in the nervous system induce rapid activation of glial cells and under certain conditions additional recruitment of granulocytes, T-cells and monocytes/ macrophages from the blood stream triggered by upregulation of cell adhesion molecules, chemokines and cytokines. Hematogenous cell infiltration is not restricted to infectious or autoimmune disorders of the nervous system, but also occurs in response to cerebral ischemia and traumatic lesions. Neuroinflammation can cause neuronal damage, but also confers neuroprotection.