MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR ASPECTS OF NEUROIMMUNE REGULATION OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

Abstract

In recent years, neuroimmune regulation of central nervous system functions has been considered as a fundamental mechanism for maintaining homeostasis, ensuring the integration of nervous, immune and endocrine processes. The accumulated data suggest that immune signals are not exclusively a manifestation of inflammation, but represent a physiological component of the regulation of synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, and adaptive responses of the brain. In this case, microglia, astrocytes, the endothelium of the blood-brain barrier, and molecular mediators, including cytokines, chemokines, and intracellular signaling cascades, play a key role. This review systematizes modern concepts of cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuroimmune interaction, analyzes their involvement in maintaining neural network homeostasis and cognitive processes, as well as the effects of stress and systemic inflammation on the regulatory circuits of the central nervous system. Special attention is paid to the problem of the boundaries of the physiological norm and the mechanisms of transition from adaptive neuroimmune activation to chronic neuroinflammation. The integrative aspects of neuroimmune regulation in the context of systemic adaptation and prospects for further research are considered. Generalization of data on regulatory nodes and mechanisms of reversibility of immune activation can contribute to the development of pathogenetically based and personalized approaches to the prevention and correction of neurodegenerative and stress-induced disorders.