Two mouse genes that were left behind by viral infections millions of years ago have evolved to help defend the brain against new infections.
Researchers have identified human-specific cell types in the prefrontal cortex. These unique cells may explain why humans are more susceptible to neuropsychiatric diseases than other primate species.
In humans, microglia develop in different ways, undergoing growth patterns that go up and down, creating waves throughout our brain development.
Using CRISPR gene editing, researchers were able to control microglia and reverse their toxic state associated with Alzheimer's disease, and put them back on track.
Microglia cells listen to neighboring neurons and change their shape to match them.
Microglia that express the Alzheimer's associated APOE4 genetic variant are unable to effectively metabolize lipids. This causes lipids to build up, promoting inflammation and preventing effective neurotransmission.
Study reveals a possible mechanism by which anxiolytic medications act on the brain, leading to cognitive impairment.
Study identifies a group of proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid that could serve as biomarkers for inflammation in the brain.
Neuroimaging technology allowed researchers to capture the activity of microglia and astrocytes in the brain. The researchers were able to quantify alterations in the morphology of different cell populations implicated in neuroinflammation.
Glycan, a special sugar protein, appears to play a significant role in the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers found idiopathic autism occurs as the result of epigenetic abnormalities in hematopoietic cells during fetal development, leading to immune dysregulation in the brain and gut.
New findings reveal phagocytes do not fully mature until after birth, contradicting previous assumptions that they mature during embryonic development.
