Activated microglial exosomes enhance α-Synuclein internalization and accelerate neurodegeneration in lewy body dementia.

ABSTRACT: Lewy body dementia (LBD), which includes Parkinson's disease dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies, is characterized by progressive cognitive decline, α-synuclein (α-Syn) aggregation, and concurrent microglial activation and neuroinflammation. The nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM), the primary source of cortical cholinergic input, plays a key role in cognitive function and is particularly affected in LBD. Cholinergic neurons within the NBM are highly vulnerable to Lewy body pathology, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed a mouse model with PFF injections into the NBM to investigate how microglia and their exosomes influence α-Syn pathology. We found that exosomes derived from activated microglia exacerbate α-Syn deposition and cognitive deficit

SUBMITTER: Zhang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12649078 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature