Tropical spastic paraparesis pathophysiology

Tropical spastic paraparesis Microchapters
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Pathophysiology

When infected by HTLV-1 the host mounts an antigen specific immune response towards the HTLV-1 antigen. Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes of the host’s immune response release cytokines in an effort to fight the infection. These cytokines facilitate the transendothelial migration of lymphocytes across the blood-brain barrier. Once cytokines are within the central nervous system demyelination is brought as a result of bystander cell injury. The disease is chronic, progressing slowly, usually causing symptoms 20-30 years after infection.