Advances In Neuroimmunology

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Advances in Neuroimmunology" that was published in Brain Sciences

Annotation Neuroimmunity is a relative new and rapidly expanding area of interest that critically impacts normal brain function and a wide range of neurological disorders. Neuroimmune mechanisms operate within the nervous system and between the nervous system and periphery. Glial cells of the nervous system play a primary role in neuroimmunity, through their ability to produce and respond to neuroimmune signaling factors, which serve a number of functions, such as homeostatic regulation of nervous system function and defense against insult and infection. Dysfunction of the neuroimmune system is now thought to be an important contributing factor to many disease and injury states. The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide a representative view of current research in this growing field, with an emphasis on the central nervous system.

Clinical Neurimmunology is the major reference text in the field, providing broad and comprehensive coverage of the interaction between the nervous and immune systems in both normal and diseased states. Understanding this interaction is fundamental to developing therapeutic approaches todisease and injury of the nervous system that are currently only marginally amenable to therapy. Neuroimmunology is a well-recognised and growing specialty world wide, both at the basic science and clinical level. It is a fast moving field and this is the most up to date text available. Chaptersare dedicated to the role of the immune system in disorders affecting both the central and peripheral nervous systems, including important neurodegenerative diseases (such as multiple sclerosis and HIV-related neural degeneration) which cause life-long disability. Extensive coverage is given to awhole array of immune-directed therapies.The book has a strong international team of well respected, high profile editors and authors. The first edition published to extensive and positive reviews and has established itself as the principal reference source in the field. This second edition summarizes recent advances in clinicalneuroimmunology in a comprehensive and unbiased way.

P.A. MURARO, A. LUGARESI, D. GAMBI Many of the pathological aspects of multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions have been known for over a century. It is only recently, however, that different patterns of demyelination have been linked to distinct pathways of immune-mediated tissue destruction. In particular, the inter-individual heterogeneity of MS lesions has suggested that different mechanisms may act in different patients, accounting for the variability observed in clinical course, immunological findings in peripheral blood and cere brospinal fluid (CSF), and response to immunomodulatory treatments. To provide an overview of the basic mechanisms possibly involved in MS lesion initiation and development, an international meeting was organized in the context of the annual Congress of the Italian Neuroimmunology Association (AINI), held at the University of Chieti, in Chieti Italy on 29 October 1998. The high standard of presentations prompted us to report them in extended form, to highlight recent pro gress in the understanding of basic mechanisms sustaining MS immuno pathogenesis. A central role in the possible mechanisms leading to myelin destruc tion has been attributed to T lymphocytes reactive to myelin antigens. Studies on the myelin antigen-specific T cell repertoire have contributed significant advances to our knowledge of autoimmunity (Chapters 1,2).

This book offers a detailed review of the remarkable advances that have been made in research on the pathogenesis of a number of neuroimmunological diseases, as well as outlining novel treatments including the use of monoclonal antibodies. Written by renowned experts who have made major contributions in the field, such as identifying neuromyelitis optica as an immunopathological clinical condition, identifying the role of ganglioside and ganglioside-complex antibodies in Guillain-Barré syndrome, and developing a novel treatment for POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, and skin changes) syndrome, the book summarizes recent advances in basic and clinical research. Neuroimmunological Diseases is a useful resource for not only researchers but also neurologists who are engaged in the management of neuroimmunological diseases.