Book Description:
The brain has long been considered an immune privileged organ, meaning that inflammatory cells are excluded due to a relatively impenetrable blood brain barrier (BBB). However, this is not to say that the central nervous system is incapable of eliciting immune responses, as resident inflammatory cells exist within the brain parenchyma. Microglia have long been thought to be the brain’s resident immune cell with myeloid lineage similar to monocytes and macrophages.
In this volume, the authors review the current state of knowledge with regard to immune responses and cell-cell interactions as they pertain to a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. The changing role of inflammation with development is considered. They also present a summary of the various therapeutic strategies employed both in the laboratory and at the clinical level.

Table of Contents:
Preface

Part I - Basic Mechanisms of Injury and Inflammation in the Central Nervous System pp.1-2

Chapter I - Introduction; pp. 3-4
(M.A. Yenari and R.G. Giffard, Stanford University, USA

Chapter II - The Central Nervous System and Inflammation: Microglia; pp. 5-24
(Wolfgang J. Streit et al., University of Florida College of Medicine, USA)

Chapter III - The Central Nervous System and Inflammation: Astrocytes; pp. 25-40
(Valerie Chock and Rona Giffard, Stanford University School of Medicine, USA)

Chapter IV - Cell Death Pathways and the Immune Response; pp. 41-62 (Jennifer M. Pocock et al., University College London, London)

Chapter V - Glial-Neuronal Cross-Talk in Neurodegeneration;
pp. 63-81
(Michael P. Flavin, Queen's University, Canada)


Part II - Neurological Diseases and Inflammation

Chapter VI - Inflammation in Stroke; pp. 85-115
(Xian Nan Tang, University of California, USA and Midori A. Yenari, Stanford University, USA)

Chapter VII - Interactions of Neuroinflammatory and Neurodegenerative Mechanisms in Alzheimer's Disease; pp. 117-157
(Michael T. Heneka, Univeristy of Münster, Germany)

Chapter VIII - Inflammation in Parkinson's Disease; pp. 159-195
(R. Lee Mosley et al., University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA)

Chapter IX - Hypoxic Ishcemic Insults and Inflammation in the Developing Brain; pp. 197-220
(Zinaida S. Vexler, University of California San Fransisco, USA)

Chapter X - Neurotrama and Inflammation; pp. 221-240
(John Berthea et al., University of Miami, USA)

Chapter XI - Anti-inflammatory Treatments for Neurodegeneration;
pp. 241-257
(Masabumi Minami and Takashi Uehara, Hokkaido University, Japan)

Index pp.259-275