New insights into microglia's role in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
Recent research from Temple University’s Alzheimer’s Center reveals how microglia can both promote and reduce brain inflammation, offering new avenues for treating Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Recent research from the Alzheimer's Center at Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine could lead to improved treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s, according to an announcement.
The study includes an investigation of the microglia. The researchers reached a better understanding of the microglia’s “ability to both increase and decrease inflammation in the brain.” They reviewed TREM2 and HMGB1, proteins that “form part of a complex signaling network that determines whether microglia act as protectors or aggressors in the brain.”
Senior author of the study, Dr. Domenico Praticò, M.D., emphasized in a press release, “Our goal is to pinpoint molecular targets that can shift microglia toward a neuroprotective state. By modulating these pathways, we hope to develop new treatments that not only slow disease progression but also preserve cognitive function.”
The paper is published in Neurobiology of Disease.
