Cognitive Disorders in Neuroimmunological Diseases

In the past decades, there has been a rapid growth of the discipline of neuroimmunology, a new area of research investigating how the immune system interacts with the brain and affects brain function as for example cognition. A convergence of multidisciplinary investigators helped to launch this fascinating research field by developing several groundbreaking lines of research. The close connection between the nervous, endocrine and immune systems has become a major challenge for interdisciplinary research involving neurologists, psychiatrists, psychologists and immunologists. Newly developed methods in neuropsychology, immunology and imaging allow deeper insights into the mechanisms of neuroimmune interactions.

This Research Topic aims to contain state-of-the-art science on major aspects of the fields of neuroimmune interaction and psychoimmunology. The original contributions and reviews should cover the role of neuro-inflammation on cognition and neuropsychology, basics of psychoneuroimmunology and neuropsychology including conditioned immunomodulation as well as diagnostic aspects such as measurement of cognition, emotion and behavior, neuropsychological test batteries and screening methods. In addition, psychological impairments such as cognitive problems, emotional disturbance, behavioral abnormalities and psychiatric symptoms should be included as well as the influences of immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive therapy and symptomatic treatment. Beyond multiple sclerosis, other neuroimmunological diseases as immunoneuropathies, myasthenia gravis as well as infectious, paraneoplastic and vascular diseases of the nervous system can be addressed regarding their cognitive and neuropsychological problems.