Involvement of microglial aging in neurodegenerative diseases: a focus on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neurons. Most cases are sporadic, while a minority are familial. Aging is the strongest independent risk factor for ALS, as it is for other neurodegenerative diseases, but the contribution of cellular aging to the onset and progression of the disease remains unclear. New evidence has focused attention on the central role of microglia in aging as well as neurodegeneration, suggesting that they may serve as a therapeutic target for ALS progression. Studying the interaction between signs of aging and microglial dysfunction in ALS could lead to the discovery of new strategies to slow disease progression and improve patient outcomes.