About this Research Topic
Aging is a complex biological process, which is often described as the progressive decline in physiological functions at multiple levels, leading to an increased susceptibility to disease and ultimately to death. It has been demonstrated that the aged brain and the young brain differ substantially from the cellular level, in terms of cell types, distribution, and their functions. For example, a unique microglia-type closely associated with Alzheimer's disease has been recently discovered, which may have important implications for the treatment of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The aging population is becoming a global challenge, particularly in the healthcare sector. Although considerable efforts have been made to explore the pathology and therapeutic strategies for age-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s disease, cerebrovascular disease, etc., the underlying process and mechanism of brain aging, and how brain aging differ in health and disease is still largely unknown, partly limited by detection technology. Compared with traditional techniques that may mask important information of the heterogeneity among individual cells, the development of single-cell technologies (such as scRNAseq and mass cytometry) now allow quantitative analyses of biological molecules related to aging at single-cell level with high specificity and sensitivity. Studies with scRNAseq in animal models or humans will help to expand biomarker profiles that can be used to predict and monitor age-associated physiological decline and brain diseases.
This Research Topic focuses on novel views of brain aging in both physiological and pathological states detected by single-cell technologies, including but are not limited by scRNAseq and mass cytometry.
We welcome original research, reviews and opinion papers in the following sub-themes:
1. Identification of unique cell subtypes using single-cell technologies in the aged brain in health, or disease.
2. New functions of neurons, microglia, astrocytes, endotheliocytes, oligodendrocytes, etc. in the aged brain;
3. Novel therapeutic targets for age-related brain diseases, including ischemic stroke, normal pressure hydrocephalus, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s disease, etc.
The aging population is becoming a global challenge, particularly in the healthcare sector. Although considerable efforts have been made to explore the pathology and therapeutic strategies for age-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s disease, cerebrovascular disease, etc., the underlying process and mechanism of brain aging, and how brain aging differ in health and disease is still largely unknown, partly limited by detection technology. Compared with traditional techniques that may mask important information of the heterogeneity among individual cells, the development of single-cell technologies (such as scRNAseq and mass cytometry) now allow quantitative analyses of biological molecules related to aging at single-cell level with high specificity and sensitivity. Studies with scRNAseq in animal models or humans will help to expand biomarker profiles that can be used to predict and monitor age-associated physiological decline and brain diseases.
This Research Topic focuses on novel views of brain aging in both physiological and pathological states detected by single-cell technologies, including but are not limited by scRNAseq and mass cytometry.
We welcome original research, reviews and opinion papers in the following sub-themes:
1. Identification of unique cell subtypes using single-cell technologies in the aged brain in health, or disease.
2. New functions of neurons, microglia, astrocytes, endotheliocytes, oligodendrocytes, etc. in the aged brain;
3. Novel therapeutic targets for age-related brain diseases, including ischemic stroke, normal pressure hydrocephalus, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s disease, etc.
Keywords: Aging, Brain, Biomarkers, Single Cell sequencing, Mass Cytometry
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
