Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease wanes with age

Inflammation is a prominent feature in Alzheimer's disease (AD). It has been proposed that aging has an effect on the function of inflammation in the brain, thereby contributing to the development of age-related diseases like AD. However, the age-dependent relationship between inflammation and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of neuroinflammation 2011-12, Vol.8 (1), p.171-171
Main Authors: Hoozemans, Jeroen J M, Rozemuller, Annemieke J M, van Haastert, Elise S, Eikelenboom, Piet, van Gool, Willem A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging
Aging - immunology
Aging - pathology
Alzheimer Disease - immunology
Alzheimer Disease - pathology
Alzheimer's disease
Animals
astrocyte
Biomarkers
Biomarkers - metabolism
Development and progression
Encephalitis - immunology
Encephalitis - pathology
Female
Frequency distribution
Genotype & phenotype
Humans
Male
microglia
Middle Aged
Pathology
Risk factors
Studies
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Summary:Inflammation is a prominent feature in Alzheimer's disease (AD). It has been proposed that aging has an effect on the function of inflammation in the brain, thereby contributing to the development of age-related diseases like AD. However, the age-dependent relationship between inflammation and clinical phenotype of AD has never been investigated. In this study we have analysed features of the neuroinflammatory response in clinically and pathologically confirmed AD and control cases in relation to age (range 52-97 years). The mid-temporal cortex of 19 controls and 19 AD cases was assessed for the occurrence of microglia and astrocytes by immunohistochemistry using antibodies directed against CD68 (KP1), HLA class II (CR3/43) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). By measuring the area density of immunoreactivity we found significantly more microglia and astrocytes in AD cases younger than 80 years compared to older AD patients. In addition, the presence of KP1, CR3/43 and GFAP decreases significantly with increasing age in AD. Our data suggest that the association between neuroinflammation and AD is stronger in relatively young patients than in the oldest patients. This age-dependent relationship between inflammation and clinical phenotype of AD has implications for the interpretation of biomarkers and treatment of the disease.
ISSN:1742-2094
1742-2094
DOI:10.1186/1742-2094-8-171