Microglia and immunotherapy in Alzheimer's disease

Microglia are a type of glial cells that play a key role in the repair of damage to the central nervous system (CNS). In the pathological condition of Alzheimer's disease (AD), β-amyloid peptide and a variety of pro-inflammatory factors can activate microglia, resulting in the secretion of a variety of inflammatory factors and neurotoxins. This leads to neuronal damage and even apoptosis, thus triggering AD. In contrast, microglia can protect the CNS by phagocytizing Aβ to slow down AD development. In this review, the roles of microglia in AD neuroinflammation and the scope of immunotherapy for AD are summarized to provide a theoretical basis for AD prevention and treatment.