Ask Dr. Nick
On today’s episode, Dr. Nick talks about the microglia and their function in the brain from birth to elderly. Microglia are the main immune cells within the brain and consist of 10-15% of cells in the central nervous system. They survey the brain constantly looking for infections or damaged cells. They are involved in vital processes early in development like pruning connections between neurons to enhance neuroplasticity. As an adolescent and adult, they maintain homeostasis, activate an immune response, and help resolve neuroinflammation. However, in the elderly, microglia promote a mild chronic inflammatory state as they are more easily activated and do not return to their surveying state. This may have implications for neurodegeneration. Check out the video for more in depth information on microglia and their functions within the brain!
Nissen JC. Microglial Function across the Spectrum of Age and Gender. Int J Mol Sci. 2017;18(3):561.
