Microglia in Alzheimer's Disease: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Traditionally the brain has been viewed as being an immune-privileged organ. However, endogenous stimuli such as the presence of misfolded or aggregated proteins, as well as systemic inflammatory events may lead to the activation of microglial cells, the brain's innate immune system, and, subsequently, to neuroinflammation. Alzheimer's disease, the leading cause of dementia, is characterized by amyloid beta deposition and tau...