UVA research suggests new way to battle Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s
September 2025
Immune cells called microglia play an essential role in determining how well tiny capillaries deliver blood and vital nourishment to our brains.
story courtesy of UVA Health
New University of Virginia School of Medicine research suggests a novel method doctors may be able to implement to improve blood flow to the brain to battle Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, like Parkinson’s.
Scientists led by Ukpong B. Eyo, Ph.D., of UVA’s Department of Neuroscience, found that immune cells called microglia play an essential role in determining how well tiny capillaries deliver blood and vital nourishment to our brains. The scientists believe that problems with these microglia may be contributing to failing brain health and targeting them could help prevent or reverse memory-stealing diseases caused or worsened by inadequate blood flow.
“For some time now, microglia have been suggested to play important roles in regulating vessel function. With this study, we have provided the most definitive evidence that they do regulate blood flow to the brain, specified the location of this function to the brain’s small vessels or capillaries, and identified an enzyme that they use to do this,” says Eyo. “Although microglia are dysfunctional in neurodegenerative diseases, our work now raises the possibility of improving blood flow deficits by targeting microglia.”
THE BRAIN’S BIG DEMANDS
Our brains require a tremendous amount of sustenance. Even though they make up only 2% percent of our body weight, they use 20% of our total energy. To provide this, the brain is surrounded by a 400-mile-long network of blood vessels that branch most extensively into tiny capillaries. The proper function of these vessels and capillaries is essential to maintaining good brain health.
Scientists have known that problems with myeloid cells can contribute to excess carbon dioxide in the blood, robbing our brains of life-giving oxygen. But Eyo and his team wanted to understand more specifically which cells were responsible and to see what would happen if those cells weren’t working correctly.
The researchers determined that microglia are responsible for ensuring proper capillary “tone,” which determines how well the tiny vessels can feed blood to the brain. Eliminating microglia significantly reduced the diameter of the capillaries and their ability to transport blood, the scientists found. Restoring the microglia fixes this problem.
The researchers state that further research will be necessary to better understand the complex cellular communication network responsible for maintaining proper capillary function. However, by gaining a deeper understanding of how the immune system sustains capillary health, scientists may be able to improve blood flow, ensuring the brain receives adequate nourishment.
“Now that we have identified a novel role for microglia in blood vessel structure and function as well as a specific enzyme involved, we are poised to examine how this enzyme and microglial functions change, and to subsequently develop therapies to reduce these changes during neurodegenerative diseases broadly and in Alzheimer’s disease especially,” Eyo says.
“However,” he adds, “questions abound that our group will pursue — e.g., do the microglia regulate the small capillaries independently or in concert with other brain cells? When do microglia begin to play this role during development, and is this role also important in neurodevelopmental disorders where vascular function is compromised? Can microglial replacement facilitate blood flow rejuvenation in neurodegenerative diseases? These are exciting questions we hope to answer in the near future.
