CelluTarget · Multifocal Motor Neuropathy · Research Frontiers
Cellular BiologyPreclinical

Neuroinflammation and microglial dysfunction in HD progression

Overview
Research Summary

Neuroinflammation, marked by activation of the brain's resident immune cells (microglia), is now recognized as an early feature of HD that may actively worsen disease progression, not just a byproduct of neuronal death. Mutant huntingtin protein is expressed in microglia themselves and alters how these cells respond to inflammatory signals. HD-positive individuals also show elevated systemic inflammatory markers, including interleukin-6, that can be detected years before clinical symptom onset — raising the possibility of anti-inflammatory approaches as a complementary strategy alongside huntingtin-lowering therapies, and of inflammatory biomarkers as an early detection tool.

Citations
Sources1 source
Peer-Reviewed
Striatal Vulnerability in Huntington's Disease: Neuroprotection Versus Neurotoxicity
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