The Aging Brain-Immune Axis: Microglia and Neuron Crosstalk in Neurodegeneration

Neuro-immune interactions play a fundamental role in maintaining central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis and dictating neurological disease progression in aging and degeneration. Immune cells within and at the borders of the CNS — particularly microglia and border-associated macrophages — are now recognized as key regulators of synaptic pruning, myelin integrity, metabolic support, and tissue repair, and their crosstalk with peripheral immune cells is increasingly implicated in age-related neurological decline.The signals that govern neuro-immune interactions in the aging and degenerating CNS remain incompletely defined, and the extent to which these dynamics are spatiotemporally organized across distinct brain regions is only beginning to be understood. The goal of this Research Topic is to address how neuro-immune interactions are dysregulated in aging and degenerative disease — including Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune neurological disorders — and how these processes contribute to disease onset and progression.Understanding how these interactions become dysregulated in adulthood and disease also requires insight into their developmental origins. Neuro-immune crosstalk is established early in CNS development, with microglia colonizing the brain parenchyma from yolk sac progenitors and actively shaping neural circuit formation through synaptic pruning, neuronal survival signaling, and regulation of oligodendrogenesis. Disruptions to these developmental programs — whether genetic, environmental, or inflammatory in origin — are increasingly linked to long-term changes in CNS vulnerability and may set the stage for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative conditions alike. A developmental perspective is therefore integral to understanding the full arc of neuro-immune biology.This Research Topic welcomes submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Neuro-immune mechanisms in Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune neurological disorders- Metabolic, transcriptional, and epigenetic regulation of CNS myeloid cells in aging and disease- Immune mechanisms of demyelination and CNS injury- CNS myeloid cell heterogeneity- Microglial and macrophage states in the aging CNS- Microglia-peripheral immune cell crosstalk in neurodegeneration- Sex-specific and region-specific neuro-immune mechanisms in neurodegeneration- Neuro-immune interactions during CNS development and their relevance to disease susceptibilityWe welcome Original Research, Review, and Perspective articles using experimental, computational, or translational approaches.Please, note that manuscript solely focused neurological circuits are out of scope of the journal. An immunological focus is needed. Topic editors: Keying Zhu, Elena Di Martino, Maria Teresa Cencioni, Roman Sankowski Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/76828/the-aging-brain-immune-axis-microglia-and-neuron-crosstalk-in-neurodegeneration