Adrenergic Receptors as Pharmacological Targets for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s Disease

Inflammation is a key component of the dopaminergic neurodegeneration seen in progressive Parkinson’s disease (PD). The presence of activated glial cells, the participation of innate immune system, increased inflammatory molecules such as cytokines and chemokines, and increased oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species are the main neuroinflammatory characteristics present in progressive PD. Therapeutic targets which suppress pro-inflammatory responses by glial cells (mainly microglia) have been shown to be effective treatments for slowing or eliminating the progressive degeneration of neurons within the substantia nigra. In this chapter, we will detail a specific anti-inflammatory therapy using agonists to β 2-adrenergic receptors that have been shown to be effective treatments for models of dopaminergic neurodegeneration and that have had efficacy in patients with progressive PD. We will also detail the possible molecular mechanisms of action of this therapeutic in stopping or reversing inflammation within the CNS.