While amyloid β plaques are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), recent research suggests that they aren’t the only players in the neurodegenerative disorder. Genome-wide association studies and RNA ...

A rare but potent genetic mutation that alters a protein in the brain’s immune cells, known as microglia, can give people as much as a three-fold greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. A new ...

In the search for answers about Alzheimer’s disease, researchers are taking a close look at the immune system of the brain. A new study uncovers how a key immune cell, called a microglia, might be the ...

During development, there are known sex-related differences in how microglia function. But into adulthood, there was thought to be less variation in how they behave. Microglia maintain neuronal ...

Researchers now want to understand if other environmental exposures impact microglia similarly, and whether these changes lead to long-term alterations in brain circuitry and function. Lowery, R.L., ...

Microglia are a specialized type of immune cell that accounts for about 10% of all cells within the brain and spinal cord. They function by eliminating infectious microbes, dead cells, and aggregated ...

A collision happens. Someone is hurt, a head injury, a concussion. Just as the first responders arrive to help the person, inside the brain, another “crew” of responders is busy clearing debris and ...

A new study finds that microglia with mutant TREM2 protein reduce brain circuit connections, promote inflammation and contribute to Alzheimer's pathology in other ways. A rare but potent genetic ...