Resveratrol as a protective molecule for neuroinflammation: a review of mechanisms

Under normal conditions, most of the central nervous system (CNS) is protected by the blood brain barrier (BBB) from systemic inflammation progression and from the infiltration of immune cells. As a consequence, the CNS developed an original way to provide surveillance, defense and repair, which relies on the complex process of neuroinflammation. Despite tight regulation, neuroinflammation is frequently the cause of irreversible nerve cell loss but it is also where the solution lies. Specific immune crosstalk taking place in the CNS needs to be decoded in order to identify the best therapeutic strategies aimed at helping the CNS restore homeostasis in difficult conditions such as in neurodegenerative disorders. This review deals with the double-edged sword nature of neuroinflammation and the use of resveratrol in various models as one of the most promising therapeutic molecules for preventing the consequences of nerve cell autodestruction.