Alcohol Neurotoxicity in Neuroimmune Disorders

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of central nervous system (CNS) which is mostly affected young adults. Although the exact etiology of multiple sclerosis is unknown, current evidences suggested that genetic, environmental, and microbial factors can play a central role in pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. Pathology of multiple sclerosis is based on inflammation as T cells enter the brain via disruptions in the blood brain barrier, recognizing myelin as foreign antigen; and as a result the T cells attack myelin and start the inflammatory processes, enhancing inflammatory cytokines and antibodies. Since previous studies showed that ethanol can suppress immune system such as innate, humoral, and cellular immunity and increases the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, therefore; in this study for the first time we hypothesized maybe ethanol also have ameliorating effects on multiple sclerosis symptoms. Investigation through previous experimental studies with regard to possible immunological mechanisms that can be mediated by alcohol showed that although consumption of this substance may lead to some damages to brain tissues, ethanol can also induce immunological processes that cause reduction of inflammatory conditions and promotion of anti-inflammatory immune responses which lead to improvement of symptoms of MS patients. However, further studies will be required to establish alcohol as an immunological modifier of MS symptoms.