HealthJuly 30, 2026

microglia

mai-KROH-glee-uh

Definition

Small, specialized immune cells within the central nervous system that maintain brain health by removing damaged neurons, plaques, and infectious agents.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek 'mikros' meaning small and 'glia' meaning glue, a term coined by Rudolf Virchow to describe the non-neuronal supporting cells of the brain.

In the news

In the article, microglia are identified as the specific brain cells that inadvertently cause sleep loss because they become overactive while trying to clear amyloid plaques. This finding helps researchers understand why sleep disturbance occurs in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

UK scientists learned what causes sleep loss in Alzheimer’s patients — and how to stop it

Read the full article ↗

Kentucky New Era

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