Over the past decade, studies have revealed the importance of immune cells in brain function. Through their interactions with neurons and glial cells, they are involved in brain development, function and pathology. However, immunologists and neurobiologists have all too rarely joined forces in the construction of knowledge. How are these new findings changing our view of brain function? How can studies of normal physiology help us to better understand disease?
This year's lecture focuses on the brain's resident immune cells, integrating them with the genetic and physiological data known to neurobiologists. It focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms at play in neuroimmune interactions under normal conditions, from prenatal life to aging. It also addresses neuroimmune contributions to neurodegenerative pathologies, notably Alzheimer's disease. This lecture, aimed at non-specialists as well as neurobiologists and immunologists, provides a new framework for the study of brain function.