Cell Types Overview describes a neural cell population with specific vulnerability or functional significance in neurodegenerative disease. This page covers cell morphology, molecular markers, connectivity, and disease-specific pathological changes.
This section covers the major cell types in the brain and their roles in neurodegenerative diseases. Understanding cell-type-specific vulnerability and dysfunction is essential for developing targeted therapies that address the underlying biology of neurodegeneration.[1]
Dopaminergic neurons are selectively vulnerable in Parkinson's disease:
Critical for memory and attention, lost in Alzheimer's disease:
Primary excitatory neurons in the cortex:
Inhibitory neurons that balance excitation:
The brain's resident immune cells, central to neuroinflammation:[2]
Support neurons and respond to injury:[3]
Myelin-producing cells that support axonal health:[4]
Different diseases affect specific cell populations:
| Disease | Vulnerable Cell Types |
|---|---|
| Alzheimer's | Hippocampal CA1 neurons, basal forebrain cholinergic, cortical pyramidal |
| Parkinson's | Dopaminergic SNc neurons |
| ALS | Upper and lower motor neurons |
| FTD | Frontal/temporal cortical neurons, especially pyramidal |
| Huntington's | Striatal medium spiny neurons |
| Multiple System Atrophy | Oligodendrocytes (gliopathy) |
Understanding cell-type-specific pathology enables targeted approaches:
See all 3549 cell types pages...
Serrano-Pozo A, et al. Dysfunction of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in Alzheimer's disease. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2022. ↩︎
Hans G, et al. Microglia in Alzheimer's disease. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2022. ↩︎
Escott C, et al. Astrocyte responses in neurodegeneration. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2020. ↩︎
Bergles DE, Richardson WD. Oligodendrocyte development in the normal and diseased brain. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology. 2015. ↩︎