title: Cerebral malaria--clinical manifestations and pathogenesis.
abstract: One of the most common central nervous system diseases in tropical countries is cerebral malaria (CM). Malaria is a common protozoan infection that is responsible for enormous worldwide mortality and economic burden on the society. Episodes of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) caused CM may be lethal, while survivors are likely to suffer from persistent debilitating neurological deficits, especially common in children. In this review article, we have summarized the various symptoms and manifestations of CM in children and adults, and entailed the molecular basis of the disease. We have also emphasized how pathogenesis of the disease is effected by the parasite and host responses including blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption, endothelial cell activation and apoptosis, nitric oxide bioavailability, platelet activation and apoptosis, and neuroinflammation. Based on a few recent studies carried out in experimental mouse malaria models, we propose a basis for the neurological deficits and sequelae observed in human cerebral malaria, and summarize how existing drugs may improve prognosis in affected individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005, India. rachnahora@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rachna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hora
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005, India.
authors.forename: Payal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005, India.
authors.forename: Kirandeep Kaur
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Thind
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005, India.
authors.forename: Prakash Chandra
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Mishra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D016779:Malaria, Cerebral / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide
keywords: Cerebral malaria; Cytoadherence; Neuroinflammation; Neurological deficits