Modulating Neuroinflammation to Treat Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Figure 2

Pictorial diagram summarizing the effects of anti-inflammatory medication on neuroinflammation mediated by microglia. Inflammation, amplified through the activation of microglia, leads to the release of cytokines, kynurenic acid, superoxides, lipid mediators, and matrix metalloproteinases. These molecules may contribute to the pathological changes seen in neuropsychiatric conditions. Anti-inflammatory drugs like cyclooxygenase inhibitors block the prostaglandin-mediated cascade of this inflammation. Minocycline acts via (i) inhibition of T-leucocyte migration over the blood-brain barrier, (ii) cytochrome c inhibition in mitochondria, (iii) antagonism of MAPK p38 and subsequent products, and (iv) inhibition of COX-2 (COX: cyclooxygenase, MAPK: mitogen activated protein kinase).