In most tissues, the immune system plays an essential role in protection, repair and healing. Although immunologically privileged, the CNS remains subject to a highly regulated form of immunosurveillance that is of increasing interest. There is evolving evidence that repair mechanisms within the CNS may be enhanced by exploiting an innate process of protective immunity. Understanding the regulation of protective autoimmunity within the CNS is likely to lead to novel therapeutic approaches to neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases.