Neuro-immune dysfunction during brain aging: new insights in microglial cell regulation

•Brain microglia react to peripheral immune signals, inducing neuroinflammation.•Brain microglia become dysregulated with age and cause chronic neuroinflammation.•Understanding microglial cell regulation is important to promote healthy aging.

Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, are at the center of communication between the central nervous system and immune system. While these brain-immune interactions are balanced in healthy adulthood, the ability to maintain homeostasis during aging is impaired. Microglia develop a loss of integrated regulatory networks including aberrant signaling from other brain cells, immune sensors, and epigenetic modifiers. The low-grade chronic neuroinflammation associated with this dysfunctional activity likely contributes to cognitive deficits and susceptibility to age-related pathologies. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms responsible for neuro-immune dysregulation with age is crucial for providing targeted therapeutic strategies to support brain repair and healthy aging.