Illustration of the enzymes cyclooxygenase-1 (cox-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2), with neurons (nerve cells) in the background. Cyclooxygenases are enzymes that catalyses the reactions that convert fatty acids into prostaglandins: lipids used in the body for tissue repair and mediating inflammation. Both are involved in neuroinflammatory processes and play a role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Cox-1 and 2 are a targets for anti-inflammatory drugs.