"Protein families" . "EC 3.4.24" . "Senescence" . "Epstein\u2013Barr virus-associated diseases" . "Metalloproteinases\u2014such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and a disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs)\u2014are involved in various diseases of the nervous system but also contribute to nervous system development, synaptic plasticity and neuroregeneration upon injury. MMPs and ADAMs proteolytically cleave many substrates including extracellular matrix components but also signaling molecules and receptors. During neuroinfectious disease with associated neuroinflammation, MMPs and ADAMs regulate blood\u2013brain barrier breakdown, bacterial invasion, neutrophil infiltration and cytokine signaling. Specific and broad-spectrum inhibitors for MMPs and ADAMs have experimentally been shown to decrease neuroinflammation and brain damage in diseases with excessive neuroinflammation as a common denominator, such as pneumococcal meningitis and multiple sclerosis, thereby improving the disease outcome. Timing of metalloproteinase inhibition appears to be critical to effectively target the cascade of pathophysiological processes leading to brain damage without inhibiting the neuroregenerative effects of metalloproteinases. As the critical role of metalloproteinases in neuronal repair mechanisms and regeneration was only lately recognized, the original idea of chronic MMP inhibition needs to be conceptually revised. Recently accumulated research urges for a second chance of metalloproteinase inhibitors, which\u2014when correctly applied and dosed\u2014harbor the potential to improve the outcome of different neuroinflammatory diseases." . . "Memory processes" . .