Neuroimmunity: A New Science That Will Revolutionize How We Keep Our Brains Healthy and Young

316 Pages·2015·1.86 MB·English

by  Michal Schwartz

N E U R O I M M U N I T Y
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N E U R O I M M U N I T Y
A New Science That Will
Revolutionize How We Keep Our
Brains Healthy and Young
MICHAL SCHWARTZ
with Anat London
With a foreword by Olle Lindvall
Published on the foundation established in memory of William Chauncey Williams of the
Class of 1822, Yale Medical School, and of William Cook Williams of the Class of 1850,
Yale Medical School.
Copyright © 2015 by Michal Schwartz.
All rights reserved.
This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including illus-
trations, in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S.
Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press), without
written permission from the publishers.
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The information and suggestions contained in this book are not intended to replace the
services of your physician or caregiver. Because each person and each medical situation is
unique, you should consult your own physician to get answers to your personal questions,
to evaluate any symptoms you may have, or to receive suggestions
for appropriate medications.
The author has attempted to make this book as accurate and up-to-date as possible, but it
may nevertheless contain errors, omissions, or material that is out of date at the time you read
it. Neither the author nor the publisher has any legal responsibility or liability for er-
rors, omissions, out-of-date material, or the reader’s application of the medical information
or advice contained in this book.
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I would like to dedicate this book to my beloved family: my husband,
Professor Michael Eisenbach, in gratitude for his true friendship and
partnership, and endless support, help, and understanding, with whom
I have shared the joy and the difficulties of this scientific endeavor;
and my beloved children, Orit, Osnat, Eyal, and Tomer, who experi-
enced with me the “highs” that accompany the joys of discovery, as well
as the days, nights, months, and years of hard work, and frequent
disappointment. I also dedicate this work to my dear brother, Nathan
Hevrony, who has been my soulmate and friend. Last but not least, to
my children-in-law, who have learned to accept their unconventional
mother-in-law, and to my loving grandchildren.
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C O N T E N T S
Foreword by Olle Lindvall ix
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xxi
Introduction xxiii
List of Abbreviations xxix
1 A New Player in the Body-Mind
Connection: The Immune System 1
2 Cognition and the Aging Brain:
The Immune Cells of Wisdom 15
3 Stress and Depression 51
4 Of Mice and Superman: The Immune
Pro–Spinal Cord Therapy 85
5 A Vaccination to Prevent Blindness 109
6 Alzheimer’s Disease and Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) 129
7 Males’ and Females’ Different Immune Systems 151
Epilogue 165
A Neuroimmunology Primer 173
Notes 203
Bibliography 221
Index 267
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F O R E W O R D
I
n 2003, four colleagues and I published in the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
the article “Inammation is detrimental for neurogenesis in
adult brain.” We showed that microglia/macrophages activated
after an insult to the brain (status epilepticus) compromise the
survival of new hippocampal neurons soon after they have been
born. Our ndings were completely in line with the consensus
among scientists at that time—namely, that inammation in
the central nervous system (CNS) is harmful after injury or
disease. Immune cells were regarded as inactive under normal
conditions and dangerous to the brain under pathological con-
ditions. Consequently, therapeutic interventions aimed at sup-
ix