Study finds brain cells help limit abnormal activity in Alzheimer's
Swansea Uni researchers have discovered that microglia – the main immune cells of the brain – play a role in maintaining the stability of neuronal networks in Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers have discovered that microglia – the main immune cells of the brain – play a role in maintaining the stability of neuronal networks in Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers say this suggests treatments that indiscriminately suppress these cells could be counterproductive.
Microglia are usually thought of as drivers of the inflammation seen in Alzheimer's disease, and several experimental treatments aim to reduce their number or activity.
In this study mice were treated with a drug called GW2580, which blocks a receptor called CSF1R and reduces microglial numbers. The treatment did partially protect connections between neurons, but it did not improve memory, and it increased abnormal, epilepsy-like electrical activity in the brain.
The results suggest microglia are also doing some useful housekeeping work in the diseased brain, and that removing them altogether may cause problems of its own.
In 2016, Dr Murray, from Swansea University, was looking at how CSF1R signalling affects the behaviour of microglia.
Dr Murray, said:
"It's satisfying to see that project come out the other end as a paper, even though I'd moved to Swansea by the time it was finished.
“The main finding, that cutting down microglia can make brain activity less stable rather than more, is a useful caution for the development of treatments that target these cells. It isn't as simple as fewer microglia being better.”
The study is thought to be significant because therapies designed to alter microglial activity are currently being investigated as potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers say the findings do not rule this out, but they suggest any such treatment will need to separate the harmful, inflammatory side of microglial activity from the more protective, housekeeping roles these cells also seem to play.