A new role for microglia as a modulator of neurons in the brain has been discovered

Researchers at Mount Sinai have also found that immune cells in the brain, which act as scavengers to eliminate dying cells, also play a potentially vital role in the regulation of behavior in both mice and humans. .. A newly identified function of scavenger cells that protect the brain from abnormal activation of health and disease, known as microglia, affects the treatment of behavioral abnormalities associated with human neurodegeneration and inflammatory diseases.This study was conducted on September 30, 2020 Nature..

“When we think Brain function, We usually think about how neurons control our thoughts and behaviors, “says Anne Schaefer, a professor of neuroscience and psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and a senior author of research. The doctor of medicine says.However brain Also nonNerve cellincluding Microglia, And our research puts a new spotlight on these cells as neuronal partners in the regulation of neuronal activity and behavior. We have found that microglia can sense and respond to neuronal activation and provide negative feedback on excessive neuronal activity. This new microglial-mediated neural regulation mechanism may play an important role in protecting the brain from disease. “

Researchers at Mount Sinai have identified biochemical circuits that support communication between neurons and microglia.When neurons become active, they release a molecule called Adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Microglia can sense extracellular ATP, and compounds attract them to active neurons. As a next step, microglia break down ATP to produce adenosine. Adenosine acts on adenosine receptors on the surface of active neurons to suppress their activity and prevent overactivation.

“Inflammatory state and Neurodegenerative diseases Like Alzheimer’s disease, microglia are activated and lose the ability to sense ATP and produce adenosine, “said Dr. Anabadimon, a former student at the Schaefer Institute and lead author of the study.

“This suggested that disease-related behavioral changes could be partially mediated by changes in microglial and neuronal communication,” said the Friedman Brain Institute’s Glia Biology Center. Dr. Schaefer, who is also the director, adds. Ikarn Medical College.

Dr. Schaefer describes the identification of biochemical circuits that enable microglial control of neuronal responses as a potential “paradigm shift” in understanding how innate. Immune cells It can contribute to the behavior in the brain. She adds that this observation is particularly important given the fact that microglia are present in the brain while being uniquely equipped to respond to signals generated by the peripheral body. Therefore, microglia can function as an interface between peripheral body changes such as viral infections and the brain by transmitting these signals to neurons to regulate behavioral responses.

By shining valuable light on the interactions between neurons and microglia, this study has many practical implications for further study. They come from a new approach to neural regulation of normal behavior by targeting microglia. Behavioral abnormalities It is associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

“The future promise of our research is also in the identification of new signals such as ATP that allow microglia to regulate the function of a wide variety of neurons, including those that control sleep and metabolism.” Dr. Schaefer says. “We believe that our work has the potential to increase our knowledge of the mechanisms of neuromodulation.”