In the central nervous system (CNS), glial cells, such as microglia and astrocytes, are normally associated with support roles including contributions to energy metabolism, synaptic plasticity, and ion homeostasis. In addition to providing support for neurons, microglia and astrocytes function as the resident immune cells in the brain. The glial function is impacted by multiple aspects including aging and local CNS changes caused by neurodegeneration. During aging, microglia and astrocytes display alterations in their homeostatic functions. For example, aged microglia and astrocytes exhibit impairments in the lysosome and mitochondrial function as well as in their regulation of synaptic plasticity. Recent evidence suggests that glia can also alter the pathology associated with many neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Shifts in the microbiome can impact glial function as well. Disruptions in the microbiome can lead to aberrant microglial and astrocytic reactivity, which can contribute to an exacerbation of disease and neuronal dysfunction. In this review, we will discuss the normal physiological functions of microglia and astrocytes, summarize novel findings highlighting the role of glia in aging and neurodegenerative diseases, and examine the contribution of microglia and astrocytes to disease progression.

中文翻译：

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健康、衰老和神经退行性疾病中胶质细胞功能的调节。

在中枢神经系统 (CNS) 中，小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞等神经胶质细胞通常具有支持作用，包括对能量代谢、突触可塑性和离子稳态的贡献。除了为神经元提供支持外，小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞还充当大脑中的常驻免疫细胞。神经胶质功能受到多个方面的影响，包括衰老和神经变性引起的局部中枢神经系统变化。在衰老过程中，小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞显示出其稳态功能的改变。例如，老化的小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞在溶酶体和线粒体功能以及它们对突触可塑性的调节方面表现出损害。最近的证据表明，胶质细胞还可以改变与许多神经退行性疾病相关的病理，包括阿尔茨海默氏症 s 病 (AD) 和帕金森病 (PD)。微生物组的变化也会影响神经胶质功能。微生物组的破坏会导致异常的小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞反应性，这会导致疾病和神经元功能障碍的恶化。在这篇综述中，我们将讨论小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞的正常生理功能，总结突出胶质细胞在衰老和神经退行性疾病中的作用的新发现，并检查小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞对疾病进展的贡献。