Immunologic aspects of neurologic and neuromuscular diseases
D. R. Smith and H. L. Weiner
Inflammatory disorders of the nervous and neuromuscular system are not
uncommon despite the fact that immune privilege exists in much of the
nervous system. Common immune-mediated neurologic diseases include multiple
sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, chronic inflammatory demyelinating
polyneuropathy, and idiopathic polymyositis. Environmental, genetic, and
immunologic factors have been postulated to be involved in the pathogenesis
of these diseases, but much remains to be elucidated about the specific
identity and relative contributions of these factors. Several new therapies
have become available for these diseases in the past few years, and many
others are under investigation. Strategies that enhance the normal
tolerance mechanisms of the immune system are being developed. In
particular, strategies to block T(H)1-type responses or enhance
T(H)2/3-type responses have generated interest.
