Post-stroke immunodeficiency: effects of sensitization and tolerization to brain antigens.

Acute onset of cerebrovascular diseases seems to be related to a number of immunological alternations. After the initial pro-inflammatory response to brain ischemia accompanied by systemic inflammatory response syndrome, stroke interferes with function of the innate and the adaptive immune cells, resulting in systemic immunosuppression. Although post-stroke immunodeficiency could predispose patients to life-threatening infections, it could potentially protect brain via reducing autoimmune reaction to the brain antigens. In this paper, we review current knowledge on the immunological alterations after brain ischemia, particularly effects of infection for stimulation of autoimmune response against brain antigens.