In addition to neurons, the brain also contains microglia — small cells with branches that protect the central nervous system by fighting infectious agents and helping to eliminate dead cells. Neuroscientist Katherine Prater and biochemist Kevin Green, both from the University of Washington in Seattle, extracted microglia samples from the brains of people who died with Alzheimer’s disease and individuals without the disease, then compared their gene-activation patterns. The microglia from people with Alzheimer’s exhibited more active genes associated with inflammation. Although inflammation is necessary to eliminate invading microorganisms and diseased cells, when it is intensified or prolonged it becomes harmful: inflammatory compounds can damage healthy cells and contribute to the progression of Alzheimer’s. The discovery makes microglia a potential target for new Alzheimer’s therapies, although previous tests with anti-inflammatories have not shown any significant impacts (Nature Aging, May 29; ScienceAlert, August 26).
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