Immunity, neuroglia and neuroinflammation in autism.

January 14, 2006

Int Rev Psychiatry. 2006 Jan;17(6):485-95.

Pardo CA, Vargas DL, Zimmerman AW.

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder of early onset that is

highly variable in its clinical presentation. Although the causes of autism

in most patients remain unknown, several lines of research support the view

that both genetic and environmental factors influence the development of

abnormal cortical circuitry that underlies autistic cognitive processes and

behaviors. The role of the immune system in the development of autism is

controversial. Several studies showing peripheral immune abnormalities

support immune hypotheses, however until recently there have been no immune

findings in the CNS.

We recently demonstrated the presence of neuroglial and innate neuroimmune

system activation in brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with

autism, findings that support the view that neuroimmune abnormalities occur

in the brain of autistic patients and may contribute to the diversity of the

autistic phenotypes.

The role of neuroglial activation and neuroinflammation are still uncertain

but could be critical in maintaining, if not also in initiating, some of the

CNS abnormalities present in autism.

A better understanding of the role of neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis

of autism may have important clinical and therapeutic implications.

PMID: 16401547 [PubMed - in process]

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