Neuroimmune Pharmacology (eBook)

The chapters contained in this volume show scientific relationships among historically separated fields. This allows a unique opportunity for scientists and students to gain broad knowledge in disparate fields of clinical medicine and biomedical research. Overall, the text integrates cutting-edge neuroscience, immunology, pharmacology, neurogenetics, neurogenesis, gene therapy, adjuvant therapy, proteomics, and magnetic resonance imaging. It is a rich harvest and readers will gain a perspective that has not been readily available. Exposure to such a wealth of ideas is bound to inspire readers to undertake new and productive research initiatives. In summary, this is a volume not to be put on the shelf as a reference, but to be read cover to cover by aspiring neuroscientists. Dr. Patrick L. McGeer Professor Emeritus Kinsmen Laboratory of Neurological Research, University of British Columbia This exciting new textbook, Neuroimmune Pharmacology, reflects the history and vision of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology and of the Society’s official publication, the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology. All three represent deliberations arising from a relatively young, interdisciplinary, and dynamic field of research, which have major translational implications for neurodegenerative, neuroinflammatory, neuropsychiatric diseases, and infections of the nervous system. They all demonstrate the synergistic value of integrating the parts: Neuroscience, Immunology, and Pharmacology. The extraordinary accomplishment of Neuroimmune Pharmacology is its comprehensive nature. It will be enthusiastically welcomed by members of the Society and will serve as the definitive resource for all students and researchers interested in various topics that are so well covered in the book. Dr. Phillip K. Peterson President, Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology Professor, Department of Medicine, University ofMinnesota Written for: Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, health care providers, researchers, scientists and physicians who are interested in basic and clinical aspects of how the immune system affects neurodegenerative diseases. Primary disciplines are Immunology, Neuroscience, and Pharmacology

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In the past two decades, enormous strides have been made These tools for exploring brain biochemistry at the cellular in our understanding of the relationships between inflamma- level opened new vistas for understanding brain functioning tion, innate immune responses, adaptive immune responses, and the pathogenesis of human disease. Using these tools, and degenerative human diseases. The developing informa- our laboratory and that of Joseph Rogers in Sun City d- tion has mostly appeared in specialty journals that have dealt onstrated that HLA-DR was strongly expressed on activated only with isolated aspects of these tightly related fields. As microglia. The identification of HLA-DR, a well-known a result, contemporary scientists have had a difficult time leukocyte marker displayed by antigen presenting cells, on finding sources, even in review articles, that provide an these cells vindicated both Hortega and van Furth. The way integrated picture. This volume, by assembling chapters waspaved for many productive investigations exploring the that demonstrate the relationship between these historically properties of microglial cells and their relationship to infl- separated fields, overcomes that difficulty. There are sec- mation and immune responses. This example of a conju- tions on immunology of the nervous system, diseases that tion between a fundamental concept and technical advances result from immunological dysfunction, current therapeutic to establish its validity has been repeated many times since, approaches, and prospects for the future. Overall, it inte- as the chapters in this volume illustrate.