Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: Despite being the second most common form of dementia, vascular contributions of Frontotemporal Dementia are understudied. Recent data from patients and preliminary experiments have indicated that in progranulin-deficient mice, an increased number of cortical capillaries are stalled, and cerebral blood flow is reduced. Here, we examined the underlying mechanism contributing to microvascular dysfunction in FTD.

A Brief Overview of Neutrophils in Neurological Diseases.

Neutrophils are the most abundant leukocyte in circulation and are the first line of defense after an infection or injury. Neutrophils have a broad spectrum of functions, including phagocytosis of microorganisms, the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, oxidative burst, and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps. Traditionally, neutrophils were thought to be most important for acute inflammatory responses, with a short half-life and a more static response to infections and injury.