Research Progress on Astrocyte-Mediated Inflammatory Responses in Alzheimer's Disease

In Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis, astrocytes have a dual role. They can trigger neuroinflammatory responses, worsening neuronal damage, but also exert anti-inflammatory and metabolic support functions, protecting neurons. Normally, astrocytes are crucial for neuronal survival and function. But in AD, they undergo morphological and molecular changes, becoming reactive and shifting between neurosupportive and neurotoxic roles. Reactive astrocytes are categorized into the neurotoxic A1 type, which secrete inflammatory factors and intensify central inflammation, and the neuroprotective A2 type, which release neurotrophic factors and curb inflammation. This article will explore astrocyte inflammation mechanisms and review their dynamic changes during AD progression, aiming to offer new insights for AD pathogenesis research.