Title:Neuroinflammation, Microglia and Mast Cells in the Pathophysiology of Neurocognitive Disorders: A Review
Volume: 13
Issue: 10
Author(s): Stephen D. Skaper, Laura Facci and Pietro Giusti
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Alzheimer disease, astrocytes, cognition, lipid signaling molecules, mast cells, microglia, mood disorders,
neuroinflammation.
Abstract: Cells of the immune system and the central nervous system are capable of interacting with each other. The
former cell populations respond to infection, tissue injury and trauma by releasing substances capable of provoking an
inflammatory reaction. Inflammation is now recognized as a key feature in nervous system pathologies such as chronic
pain, neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, spinal cord injury, and neuropsychiatric disorders such as anxiety/depression and
schizophrenia. Neuroinflammation may also raise the brain’s sensitivity to stress, thereby effecting stress-related
neuropsychiatric disorders like anxiety or depression. The cytokine network plays a large part in how immune system
cells influence the central nervous system. Further, inflammation resulting from activation of innate immune system cells
in the periphery can impact on central nervous system behaviors, such as depression and cognitive performance. In this
review, we will present the reader with the current state of knowledge which implicates both microglia and mast cells, two
of the principle innate immune cell populations, in neuroinflammation. Further, we shall make the case that dysregulation
of microglia and mast cells may impact cognitive performance and, even more importantly, how their cell-cell interactions
can work to not only promote but also amplify neuroinflammation. Finally, we will use this information to provide a
starting point to propose therapeutic approaches based upon naturally-occurring lipid signaling molecules.