Immunity in Alzheimer's disease: From mechanisms to therapies

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that leads to cognitive decline, dementia, and ultimately death. Recent anatomical and functional discoveries of neuroimmune interactions during the development and progression of AD are beginning to shed light on disease mechanisms and potential precision immunotherapies. Here, we review the current understanding of the contribution of innate and adaptive immunity to AD pathogenesis and progression. We discuss how microglia and T cells shape stage-specific immune responses in AD, how genetic risk converges on microglial activation and antigen presentation pathways, and the protective and pathogenic roles of microglia and T cells during distinct stages of AD progression. In the context of this deeper understanding of immune cells in AD, we discuss emerging therapeutic approaches in the clinic and argue for the importance of interventions that precisely modulate neuroimmune dynamics at different stages of AD.