Microglia, a New Avenue in the Cure and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

Microglia are CNS resident macrophages that play pivotal roles in brain growth and homeostasis. Microglial dysfunction is thought to play a role in the initiation and persistence of various neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. As a result, gaining a better understanding of microglia in these situations could lead to new therapeutic approaches. Even though the traditional microglia/macrophage activation model is based on a biphasic beneficial-versus-deleterious polarization, new research indicates a much more heterogeneous profile of microglial activation that underpins their complex roles in the CNS. The bulk of research has so far concentrated on microglia in gray matter. Conversely, demyelination is a common pathological finding in various disorders, including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, vascular cognitive dysfunction, and dementia. Recent literature implicating microglia in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is reviewed, and new therapeutic methods targeting microglia and their receptors in this disease are discussed.