Figure 1.

Schematic diagram showing neuroinflammation-mediated neurodegeneration in the brain. Factors such as normal aging, dementia, stroke, hypertension, brain injuries, obesity, local and systemic infections and environmental factors induce neuroinflammation by activating microglia, astrocytes and neurons in the brain. These factors also activate immune and inflammatory cells such as T-cells and mast cells in the brain. Activation of glial cells and inflammatory cells release many proinflammatory and neurotoxic mediators and also increases expression of inflammation related receptor proteins in the brain cells. These inflammatory mediators and enhanced protein expressions further augment neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in a vicious manner causing progressive neurodegenerative diseases. MC=mast cells, PAR-2=proteinase activated receptor-2, TC=T-cells, UCPs=mitochondrial uncoupling proteins.