Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 30, 2026
In Vivo Dynamics of Retinal Microglial Activation During Neurodegeneration: Confocal Ophthalmoscopic Imaging and Cell Morphometry in Mouse Glaucoma
Published on: May 11, 2015
Clinical PET Imaging of Microglial Activation: Implications for Microglial Therapeutics in Alzheimer's Disease
Zhiwei Shen1, Xinjie Bao1, Renzhi Wang1
1Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
In addition to extracellular β-amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, neuroinflammation has been identified as a key pathological characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Once activated, neuroinflammatory cells called microglia acquire different activation phenotypes. At the early stage of AD, activated microglia are mainly dominated by the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. Conversely, in the later stage of AD, the excessive activation of microglia is considered detrimental and pro-inflammatory, turning into the M1 phenotype. Therapeutic strategies targeting the modulation of microglia may regulate their specific phenotype. Fortunately, with the rapid development of in vivo imaging methodologies, visualization of microglial activation has been well-explored. In this review, we summarize the critical role of activated microglia during the pathogenesis of AD and current studies concerning imaging of microglial activation in AD patients. We explore the possibilities for identifying activated microglial phenotypes with imaging techniques and highlight promising therapies that regulate the microglial phenotype in AD mice.
Insights
Neuroinflammation, driven by microglia, plays a key role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. This review explores imaging techniques to visualize microglial phenotypes and discusses therapies targeting microglial modulation in AD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Pathology
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and significant neuroinflammation.
- Microglia, the brain's immune cells, exhibit distinct activation phenotypes (M1 and M2) that shift during AD progression.
- Early AD stages show a neuroprotective M2 phenotype, while later stages involve a detrimental M1 phenotype.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the critical role of activated microglia in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis.
- To summarize current in vivo imaging studies for visualizing microglial activation in AD patients.
- To explore the potential of imaging techniques in identifying microglial phenotypes and discuss therapeutic strategies.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on microglia, neuroinflammation, and Alzheimer's disease.
- Analysis of in vivo imaging methodologies for microglial activation.
- Examination of therapeutic strategies targeting microglial phenotype modulation.
Main Results:
- Activated microglia are central to AD pathogenesis, with phenotypes shifting from M2 to M1 during disease progression.
- In vivo imaging techniques have advanced the visualization of microglial activation in AD.
- Identifying specific microglial phenotypes via imaging holds promise for targeted therapeutic interventions.
Conclusions:
- Microglial activation and phenotype are crucial factors in Alzheimer's disease.
- Imaging advancements offer new possibilities for diagnosing and monitoring AD by visualizing microglial states.
- Targeting microglial phenotypes presents a promising therapeutic avenue for Alzheimer's disease treatment.
