Is Inflammation Part of the Neurodegenerative Process?
Inflammation can enable our bodies to fend off various disease-causing bacteria, viruses and parasites but the immunological defence mechanism that causes swelling and turns the tissue around a splinter red can sometimes become chronic and damaging. When potentially harmful microbes enter the body, inflammation destroys both invader and any tissue it may have infected. The process then subsides and healing begins but sometimes the inflammatory response does not shut down on cue. A cascade of events is triggered whenever the body is subjected to trauma or injury. When a splinter enters your finger, specialized sentinel cells alert the immune system to the presence of introduced bacteria. Mast cells release histamine to make nearby capillaries leak small amounts of plasma, slowing invading bacteria whilst assisting other immune defenders. Meanwhile, macrophages release cytokines, which call for reinforcements. Soon, immune cells flood the site, destroying pathogens and damaged tissue. Th
