Role of Neuroinflammation in Neurodegenerative Disorders

Abstract Neurological disorders are characterized by progressive loss/damage of specific nerve cells due to accumulation of the disease-specific proteins. There is growing evidence that links neuronal damage with chronic activation of an innate immune response in the central nervous system. The immune system is inextricably involved in the brain development, but also regeneration and repair. This has stimulated therapeutic approaches to modulate the immune system in neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we discuss the current understanding of how astrocytes and microglia shape the neuroimmune responses to drive the pathology neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, polyglutamine (PolyQ) disorders, and the importance of inflammatory responses in the disease progression. There is common pattern of pathological events such as aggregating protein causes activation of microglia and astrocytes that in turn release proinflammatory factors that can be applied to several neurodegenerative disorders. In this context, the involvement of innate immunity seems to be a major paradigm in the pathogenesis of these diseases.