Efficacy and Safety of Rescue Treatment with Plasma Exchange in Patients with Acute Inflammatory Neurological Disorders: A Single Center Experience.

Background: Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is a highly effective rescue treatment for patients with acute exacerbation of neuroimmunological disease that removes circulating autoantibodies and inflammatory components from the bloodstream. The aims of this study are to explore the safety and the effectiveness of TPE in patients with autoimmune neurological disorders.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the frequency of adverse events (AEs) and the effectiveness of TPE using the modified Ranking Scale (mRS) in patients with acute neurological flares who underwent TPE at the University Hospital of Palermo.

Involvement of Astrocytes in the Formation, Maintenance, and Function of the Blood-Brain Barrier.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a fundamental structure that protects the composition of the brain by determining which ions, metabolites, and nutrients are allowed to enter the brain from the blood or to leave it towards the circulation. The BBB is structurally composed of a layer of brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs) bound to each other through tight junctions (TJs). However, its development as well as maintenance and properties are controlled by the other brain cells that contact the BCECs: pericytes, glial cells, and even neurons themselves.