Inflammation in Parkinson's disease: the role of activated microglia

Glial inflammation was viewed previously as a bystander effect, or epiphenomenon, with inflammation occurring when damaged neurons elicit an activation response by glia. However, an accumulating body of evidence has challenged this perspective and indicates an active role of neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders as Parkinson's disease (PD). Agents suppressing microglial activation are attracting attention as candidate drugs for neuroprotection in PD: While different mechanisms including environmental toxins and genetic factors initiate neuronal damage in the basal ganglia in PD,…