Researchers with the McKnight Brain Institute of the University of Florida discovered that inflammation of microglia — an abundant cell type that plays an important supporting role in the brain — does not appear to be associated with dementia in Alzheimer’s disease. The finding could influence how scientists proceed with Alzheimer’s therapies.

College of Medicine neuroscientists at the McKnight Brain Institute looked at an important signaling pathway that tells brain cells whether to live or die. They found a new protein may help efforts to preserve memory in elderly people.