Microglia May Hold Key to Dementia Resilience | Health and Fitness News

Scientists have pinpointed a crucial brain tipping point that may explain why some people with Alzheimer’s pathology never develop dementia—thanks to microglia, the brain’s immune cells. Research using human tissue reveals that microglia shift from an early inflammatory response to a later, more damaging state, and this transition appears to determine whether cognitive decline follows. Remarkably, some individuals with significant plaques and tangles remain sharp because their microglia avoid this harmful shift, while centenarians activate it without triggering tau buildup—suggesting the brain can adapt. The breakthrough points to new treatments focused not on clearing plaques, but on p...