Cytokine production in the central nervous system

Cytokines participate in normal physiologic events within the CNS. At times of infection and inflammation, their role is emphasized by the upregulation of cytokines and their receptors within the CNS, with concomitant effects on brain function. Cytokines produced by glial cells, T cells, and macrophages interact within the CNS to determine the outcome of the inflammatory reaction. Cytokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis of many CNS diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), and their role continues to be intensely investigated. The possibility of novel cytokine therapies, such as anticytokine antibodies or receptor antagonists acting on the cytokine network, provides an optimistic future for treatment of MS and other CNS diseases in which cytokines have been implicated.