Immune System, Immune Response and CNS Autoimmune Disease: How They All Come Into Play

The etiology and pathogenesis of autism is still not known after decades of investigation.  Autism is a complex developmental disorder that includes deficits in social interactions and communication as well as restricted and stereotypic behaviors.  A potential contributing factor is an immune response to antigens found in the central nervous system (CNS).  This immune response could occur at some point during gestation or early postnatally, and the immune response could be induced either in the mother or in the infant itself.  This talk will provide an overview of the immune system and describe autoimmune disease.  In addition, how the immune response is generated, what cells participate and how these cells and/or products produced by these cells, such as antibodies, can initiate immunopathology in the CNS will be discussed.