Extracellular Vesicles: Emerging Roles in the Aged and Neurodegenerative Brain - Volume II

This Research Topic is part of the Extracellular vesicles: emerging roles in the aged and neurodegenerative brain series: Extracellular vesicles: emerging roles in the aged and neurodegenerative brain, volume I.Extracellular vesicle (EV) biology has emerged as a rapidly expanding area of research in neuroscience, with recent studies increasingly examining EVs as regulators, biomarkers, and potential therapeutic tools in brain aging and neurodegenerative disease. EVs are released by neurons, astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, endothelial cells, and peripheral tissues, and carry combinations of proteins, lipids, metabolites, and nucleic acids that reflect their cellular origin and physiological or pathological state. Recent publications have highlighted the role of brain-derived EVs in intercellular communication, neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction, cellular senescence, blood-brain barrier regulation, and the propagation of pathological proteins. Disease-focused research has expanded particularly in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, while growing attention is also being directed towards tauopathies, synucleinopathies, Huntington's disease, and communication along peripheral–brain axes. However, important questions remain about how aging alters EV production and cargo, how disease-associated EV populations are formed and transported, and whether EVs promote or limit pathological processes. Progress is also constrained by EV heterogeneity, inconsistent isolation procedures, limited cell-of-origin resolution, and the need for stronger validation of candidate biomarkers.This Research Topic aims to consolidate recent advances in the study of EVs in the aged and neurodegenerative brain. It will examine how aging, cellular senescence, disease-associated stress, and neuroinflammation influence EV formation, cargo selection, secretion, trafficking, and uptake. Particular attention will be given to the mechanisms through which EVs regulate communication between neural and glial cells, contribute to the spread of misfolded proteins and inflammatory signals, and mediate interactions between the central nervous system and peripheral organs. The Research Topic will also evaluate progress towards clinically useful EV-based biomarkers and therapeutic delivery systems, including approaches that improve the enrichment, molecular profiling, and targeting of brain-derived EVs. Studies addressing methodological reproducibility, standardized reporting, and rigorous validation will be especially valuable for translating EV research into diagnostic and therapeutic applications.To gather further insights into EV biology in the aged and neurodegenerative brain, this Research Topic will consider cellular, in vitro, in vivo, and translational studies focused on central and peripheral mechanisms of EV communication. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• EV formation, cargo loading, trafficking, and cell-to-cell communication in the aging and neurodegenerative brain• EVs in neuroinflammation, cellular senescence, synaptic dysfunction, and disease propagation, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders• EV-based biomarkers and therapeutic or drug-delivery strategies for brain disorders• Advances in EV isolation, characterization, and methodological standardization Topic editors: Jennifer Pocock, Foteini Vasilopoulou, Dirk M. Hermann Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84012/extracellular-vesicles-emerging-roles-in-the-aged-and-neurodegenerative-brain---volume-ii