AAIC 2018 | Glial activation and Alzheimer’s disease

Immune activation of glial cells, including astrocytes, might interfere with synaptic signaling in Alzheimer’s disease, potentially contributing to neurodegeneration. Here, Elly Hol, PhD, of UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands, gives an overview of her work in the field. She discusses her research comparing human postmortem brain tissue with mouse model data, which both show astrocyte activation in association with Alzheimer’s disease. Dr Hol also speaks about her plans to explicitly demonstrate the relationship between glial activation and neurodegeneration using mouse models and electrophysiological techniques. Finally, she emphasizes the importance of professionals recognizing the impact of glial cells on Alzheimer’s disease biology. This video was recorded at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2018, held in Chicago, IL.