Microglia

Getting ready to pack for my return trip stateside can get a little hectic. Ok, once again I have misplaced my…cell phone, car keys, whatever, just the things I need, along with my passport, before getting on the road. I wonder if this means my microglia have gone into overdrive. Microglia are the brain’s synaptic pruners, that work to refine neural circuits to make them more efficient at processing information, or in my case, less efficient if they over pruning. They are the less well known and more mysterious spidery cells of the brain when compared to neurons and astrocytes. They travel through the brain, riding in on blood vessels and nerve fibers, colonizing in every part. They also may play an important role in helping us adapt to new situations. Scientists first became aware of microglia in the 1840s but much more is known about them and the work they do in the brain now. Some neuroscientists are now wondering what microglia’s influence might be in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or autism. Some studies suggest microglia are more active in people with depression too. One thing brain researchers seem to agree on is that there needs to be more study to determine what other mysteries microglia may be harboring. In the meantime, I was looking for something…What was it I was looking for?