Scientists Discover Brain Change That May Explain Alzheimer’s
Scientists found the brain's immune cells start switching to inflammatory ones at 50; a possible trigger for dementia.
At around age 50, scientists have discovered that the brain's memory center, the hippocampus, starts replacing its typical immune cells with more inflammatory ones. This finding, published in the journal Science, may provide insight into how normal aging contributes to dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Furhan Qureshi, an internal medicine physician, expressed surprise at the study's implications, stating that the brain's immune cells were previously thought to be lifelong residents.
The research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, analyzed the hippocampal tissue of 40 neurologically healthy adults aged 20 to 95 using advanced single-cell techniques. The study revealed that microglia, the brain's primary immune cells, decline between 50 and 75 years old, and are replaced by cells with stronger inflammatory signals similar to monocytes, which usually circulate in the blood.
This shift in immune cell composition, occurring during the age when Alzheimer's-related changes may begin, suggests that chronic inflammation could be a significant contributor to cognitive decline and Alzheimer's risk.
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