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SUMMARY:  The impact of systemic inflammation on the brain in health and d
 isease - Hugh Perry\, University of Southampton
DTSTART:20130627T151500Z
DTEND:20130627T170000Z
UID:TALK44717@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Scientific Meetings Co-ordinator
DESCRIPTION:During the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as A
 lzheimer’s disease\, Parkinson’s disease\, and prion diseases there is
  an innate immune response in the brain. This innate immune response is ch
 aracterised by proliferation and activation of the microglia. The contribu
 tion of these activated microglia to disease progression is much debated. 
  We have studied murine prion disease as a tractable laboratory model of c
 hronic progressive neurodegenerative disease. Early in the disease the mic
 roglia become morphologically activated but have an anti-inflammatory\, ap
 parently benign\, phenotype.  However\, systemic inflammation has a profou
 nd impact on the phenotype of these microglia\, that are ‘primed’ by t
 he ongoing neurodegeneration\, and switches them from an anti-inflammatory
  to a pro-inflammatory phenotype with exacerbation of symptoms and an incr
 eased rate of progression of disease. In patients with Alzheimer’s disea
 se we have shown that systemic inflammation and infections are associated 
 with more rapid cognitive decline and exacerbation of symptoms. Understand
 ing how systemic co-morbidities contribute to disease progression offers a
  route to slowing disease progression and improving the quality of life of
  those with neurodegenerative disease. 
LOCATION:Max Perutz Lecture Theatre\, Medical Research Council (MRC) (MRC 
 Laboratory of Molecular Biol
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