From Neuron‐Centric to Glia‐Centric: How Aging Glial Networks Drive Neurodegenerative Disease

The traditional neuron-centric view of neurodegeneration is being replaced by a glial network-based framework. This shift recognizes that age-related dysfunction in non-neuronal cells critically shapes neuronal vulnerability and circuit resilience. Aging, the major risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, is increasingly associated with the accumulation of senescent glial cells, particularly astrocytes, which emerge as early and active drivers of central nervous system decline. This review highlights astrocytic senescence as a key mechanism linking brain aging to neurodegeneration. Senescent astrocytes exhibit hallmark features including stable cell cycle arrest, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the…

• CD
  Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
• CN
  Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
• FC
  Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
• IS
  International Society for Neurochemistry