The central nervous system (CNS) necessitates intricately coordinated immune responses to prevent neurological disease. However, the emergence of viruses capable of entering the CNS and infecting neurons threatens this delicate balance. Our CNS is protected from foreign invaders and excess solutes by a semipermeable barrier of endothelial cells called the blood-brain barrier. Thereby, viruses have implemented several strategies to bypass this protective layer and modulate immune responses within the CNS. In this review, we outline these immune regulatory mechanisms and provide perspectives on future questions in this rapidly expanding field.
Keywords: CNS; evasion; immune signaling; interferon; virus.