Mast cells and neuroinflammation in pathogenesis of neurologic and psychiatric diseases

Abstract

The review summarizes current data on the role of neuroinflammation and mast cells in the pathogenesis of nervous and mental diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, depression, autism, migraine, schizophrenia and some others. The contribution of neuroinflammation to the pathogenesis of many of these diseases has been demonstrated. The involvement of mast cells in the development of the neuroinflammatory process has with varying degrees of evidence been shown for multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimers disease and migraine. There is still no convincing evidence that mast cells contribute to neuroinflammation in Parkinsons disease, depression, schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder, although it is possible that they play a role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Data on the causal role of neuroinflammation and mast cells in the development of neuropsychiatric diseases may become the basis for the development of new approaches to their pharmacological treatment. The review provides data on the first clinical trials of anti-inflammatory and mast cell activity-modulating drugs for the treatment of migraine, Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.