Editorial [Hot Topic: Neuron-Glia Interaction (Guest Editor: Joao O. Malva)]

In the past ten years, the neuron-glia interaction has been one of the most fast-growing and sustained research themes in neuroscience. The functional cross-talk between neurons, astrocytes and microglia in normal brain function, in brain diseases and age-related disorders has been a central element in the understanding some of the most relevant responses of the nervous tissue to injury. The new developments of this research field have had a major impact in the elucidation of the mechanisms involved in the neuro-inflammatory response, neurogenesis, neuroprotection and neuronal replacement. In the present special issue we reviewed the most recent breakthrough publications about basic mechanisms of neuroimmunity, neurogenesis and neuroprotection in brain repair associated with several brain disorders with a major social and economic impact. In two commentaries and eight review articles dedicated to “Synaptic modulators and neuroprotection”, “Major brain diseases” and “New models and therapeutic strategies”, the authors review basic concepts and highlight potential new research and therapeutic strategies in brain dysfunction. The major role of key synaptic modulators including, nitric oxide, adenosine, neuropeptide Y and cytokines in modulating neurotransmitter release and neuroprotection is highlighted in the first papers by Araujo and Carvalho, Ribeiro and by Silva et al. The neuroprotective properties of the above indicated neuromodulators and also the fine tune control of neuronal death, neurogenesis and brain inflammation in major neurological diseases is a common theme in the review articles dedicated to Epilepsy, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Diabetic Retinopathy. The contributions by Bernardino et al., Rego and Almeida, Pereira et al., Cardoso et al. and Leal et al., respectively, are a review of the state of the art in the basic mechanisms of disease. Moreover, these reviews critically identify new research fields for the future development of new therapeutic strategies. The final two review papers are dedicated to organotypic brain slice cultures as a highlighted research model in neuroscience and to the use of liposomal and viral vectors as research tools for gene therapy. The popularity of organotypic brain slice cultures is mostly due to the partial preservation of natural interaction between brain cells and neuronal circuits, allowing the use of this tool to fill the gap between monolayer cultures and in vivo experiments. These characteristics contribute to the increasing popularity of this model in pharmacological research, making it a preferred research tool for the development of new therapeutic strategies of brain diseases. Moreover, the last review article of the current special issue of CDT-CNSND is a source of inspiration for the neuroscientist dedicated to brain disease. The development of new formulations, and the in vivo application, of liposomal and viral vector for gene therapy is a promising interdisciplinary research field, with a major potential impact in the future of therapeutic strategies of brain repair.