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Review
. 2015 Aug 27:302:103-11.
doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.09.061. Epub 2014 Oct 5.

Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease; A source of heterogeneity and target for personalized therapy

C H Latta  1 , H M Brothers  2 , D M Wilcock  3
Affiliations
Review

Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease; A source of heterogeneity and target for personalized therapy

C H Latta et al. Neuroscience. .

Abstract

Neuroinflammation has long been known as an accompanying pathology of Alzheimer's disease. Microglia surrounding amyloid plaques in the brain of Auguste D were described in the original publication of Alois Alzheimer. It is only quite recently, however, that we have a more complete appreciation for the diverse roles of neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's. While gaps in our knowledge remain, and conflicting data are abound in the field, our understanding of the complexities and heterogeneous functions of the inflammatory response in Alzheimer's is vastly improved. This review article will discuss some of the roles of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease, in particular, how understanding heterogeneity in the individual inflammatory response can be used in therapeutic development and as a mechanism of personalizing our treatment of the disease.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s; amyloid; cytokines; inflammation; microglia; phenotypes.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Neuroinflammatory spectrum of states based on macrophage classifications. Shown in the figure are the activation states of microglia and the general immune function of each state.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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