Disclosed are novel methods for preventing or attenuating neuronal damage or stimulating neuronal repair, prior to or following central nervous system injury associated with acute or chronic nervous system injury. Macrophage colony stimulating factor receptor agonists including macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF or CSF-1), interleukin-34 (IL-34), proteins or biologically active fragments thereof, peptides or biologically active fragments thereof, peptidomimetics, or small molecules, and the like are effective for prevention or treatment of acute nervous system injury or chronic nervous system injury involving Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and the like.
Methods of neuroprotection involving macrophage colony stimulating factor receptor agonists