THE ROLE OF NEUROINFLAMMATION IN THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND PROGRESSION OF NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

This study aimed to synthesize the scientific evidence on the role of neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. An integrative literature review was conducted using the LILACS, BDENF, MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, and SciELO databases, including original articles published between 2021 and 2026. After the selection process based on the PRISMA 2020 recommendations, 11 studies were included. The findings demonstrated that neuroinflammation plays a central role in neurodegeneration, characterized by persistent activation of microglia and astrocytes, the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, and activation of pathways such as NF-κB, NLRP3, and TLR2/4, thereby promoting progressive neuronal damage. Promising therapeutic approaches based on immunomodulation and nanotechnology were also identified as potential strategies to slow disease progression. It is concluded that neuroinflammation represents an important therapeutic target, although further studies are needed to improve the understanding of the underlying mechanisms and strengthen the clinical application of these approaches.