Modifiable risk factors of Alzheimer's disease and neuroinflammation: what are the links?

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting 46 million people worldwide with its incidence rapidly increasing. The pathological hallmarks of AD include the deposition of amyloid-a plaques and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, which trigger a state of chronic neuroinflammation mediated by dysregulated glial cell activation. Currently, no cure exists for AD, highlighting the need to reduce incidence of this devastating disease by identifying modifiable risk factors. Several studies have demonstrated that sedentary lifestyles, hypertension, and lifestyle-associated conditions such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes mellitus contribute to increased risk of AD. Herein, we describe the link between these select modifiable risk factors and chronic neuroinflammation, thereby highlighting control of risk factors as a possible strategy for inhibiting disease progression.