Neuroinflammation is a key mechanism in many neurological dysfunctions, but there are many unanswered questions about how it affects brain function in neuroinfectious diseases. The elimination of pathogens that invade the nervous system requires an immune response, which also interferes with nerve cell function and intercellular communication. Invasion of pathogenic infections into the nervous system activates inflammatory factors in the body. Macrophages, Schwann cells, microglia, endothelial cells, ventricular tract cells, neurons and glial cells will express natural immune molecules to recruit leukocytes to the site of infection to facilitate pathogen clearance. Although inflammation facilitates pathogen clearance, the long-term effects of immune factors can lead to neurological dysfunction. Infections of the nervous system induce several neuroimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, demyelinating diseases such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, and neurodegenerative pathologies, in addition to causing various types of encephalitis. Scientists need to further investigate the molecular mechanism of pathogenic infection invading the nervous system and explain how it affects the function of the body by considering the immune system and the nervous system as a whole, thus providing insight into the interaction between the immune system and neurological function after infection.

Overall, infections that invade the nervous system can lead to severe neuroinflammation and even induce some neuroimmune diseases. Research in this area will help to elucidate the relationship between neuroinfection, inflammation and immunity, and provide ideas for the treatment of clinically relevant diseases.

We welcome Review, Mini-Review, Original Research, and Clinical Trial, including basic research to translational studies and clinical investigations about neuroinfection-related immunity and inflammation.

Research areas to be covered by this Research Topic include, but are not limited to the following:

-Original Research and Review about the pathogenesis of neuroinfection-related neuroimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, Guillain-Barré syndrome and autoimmune encephalitis.
-Treatment studies targeting neuroinfection-related immunity and inflammation.
-Biomarker studies about inflammation and immunity resulting from neuroinfection.

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Frontiers in Neurology

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