Protection of the brain

Abstract

The introductory part presents some basic data from the neurosciences, particularly the protective role played by astroglia towards the nerve cells. An overview is given as regards the significance of the periventricular glia and the reaction of this system to various experimental procedures. 30 years’ personal experience of the authors in this field is summarized, especially the reaction of the periventricular Gomori-positive glia of rodents to irradiation by X-rays and UV-rays, administration of various chemicals and drugs, as well as physiological variation due to age, sex, diurnal and annual rhythms, and infections. Particular attention is pait to mycoplasma, toxoplasma and mycotic infections. The reaction of the periventricular Gomori-positive glial cells and similar cells in other locations to intracerebral and interaperitoneal inoculation of transplantable tumors is described. The role of the astroglia in general in immunological phenomena occurring in the central nervous system is discussed. The problem of cerebro-spinal fluid flow and pressure and its regulation are presented together with the authors' own results in this field and a new hypothesis as regards the role of the subfornical organ in this respect is presented. The second part of the book is devoted to some important neuropathological findings of recent years such as those of Alzheimers' disease patients. A new hypothesis of the pathomechanism of this disease is proposed. Pigment-carrying glial cells were found in human brains of normal and pathological cases. These cells probably have a scavenging role removing lipofuscins and, probably, other noxious substances from the brain tissue.