Longevity & AgingBrain Immune Cells May Determine Who Gets Alzheimer's and Who Stays Sharp
A new study in Nature Medicine suggests that the brain's immune cells, called microglia, play a decisive role in whether Alzheimer's disease progresses or stays dormant. Researchers from Muna Therapeutics found that microglia can shift from a protective state to a damaging one, and this transition may explain why some people accumulate amyloid plaques and tau tangles without ever experiencing cognitive decline. The findings suggest that Alzheimer's progression is not inevitable but may be a dynamic process that could be modified. A drug candidate called MNA-001, targeting a key microglial signaling pathway called TREM2, is already in Phase 1 clinical trials as an oral small molecule designed to preserve beneficial microglial activity.
