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Neuroinflammatory Disorders

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Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of young people that affects the central nervous system and is clinically heterogenous. Both genetic and environmental factors predispose to its development. The pathological hallmark of disease is focal demyelination that affects both the cortical grey matter and the white matter tracts in the brain and spinal cord, characterised by perivascular infiltration of activated macrophages and T lymphocytes.

Diagnostic criteria that incorporate both clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters have facilitated earlier diagnosis. In recent years several disease modifying therapies (DMTs) that target specific immune pathways have demonstrated increased efficacy in suppressing neuro-inflammation. Drugs with novel mechanisms of action including B-lymphocyte targeting are proving promising. Reliable biomarkers of treatment response, disease progression, and MS subtypes are being developed.

As the disease progressses the majority of MS patients develop irreversible disability due to axonal loss. To date no DMT has been proven to alter the course of the progressive phase of the disease. However, recent advances in glial biology have provided valuable insights into mechanisms of neuroprotection and neuroregeneration and clinical trials of agents that promote remyelination are underway.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

    Lisa Costelloe

  2. Schools of Medicine and Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College, Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Jean Fletcher

  3. Queens University, Belfast, Ireland

    Denise Fitzgerald

Authors
  1. Lisa Costelloe
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  2. Jean Fletcher
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  3. Denise Fitzgerald
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lisa Costelloe .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin, Ireland

    Orla Hardiman

  2. Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin, Ireland

    Colin P. Doherty

  3. Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin, Ireland

    Marwa Elamin

  4. Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Inst, Dublin, Ireland

    Peter Bede

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Costelloe, L., Fletcher, J., Fitzgerald, D. (2016). Neuroinflammatory Disorders. In: Hardiman, O., Doherty, C., Elamin, M., Bede, P. (eds) Neurodegenerative Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23309-3_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23309-3_15

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-23308-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-23309-3

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