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Functional impairment of microglia coincides with Beta-amyloid deposition in mice with Alzheimer-like pathology
Krabbe G, Halle A, Matyash V, Rinnenthal JL, Eom GD, Bernhardt U, Miller KR, Prokop S et al.. PloS one, 2013-04-08
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Microglial cells closely interact with senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease and acquire the morphological appearance of an activated phenotype. The significance of this microglial phenotype and the impact of microglia for disease progression have remained controversial. To uncover and characterize putative changes in the functionality of microglia during Alzheimer's disease, we directly assessed microglial behavior in two mouse models of Alzheimer's disease.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Krabbe, G., Halle, A., Matyash, V., Rinnenthal, J. L., Eom, G. D., Bernhardt, U., et al. (2013). Functional impairment of microglia coincides with Beta-amyloid deposition in mice with Alzheimer-like pathology. PloS one. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0060921
Vancouver
Krabbe G, Halle A, Matyash V, Rinnenthal JL, Eom GD, Bernhardt U, et al. Functional impairment of microglia coincides with Beta-amyloid deposition in mice with Alzheimer-like pathology. PloS one. 2013. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0060921. PMID: 23577177.
BibTeX
@article{krabbe2013-23577177,
author = {Krabbe, G. and Halle, A. and Matyash, V. and Rinnenthal, J. L. and Eom, G. D. and Bernhardt, U. and Miller, K. R. and Prokop, S. and others},
title = {{Functional impairment of microglia coincides with Beta-amyloid deposition in mice with Alzheimer-like pathology}},
journal = {PloS one},
year = {2013},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0060921},
pmid = {23577177},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0060921}
}
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Key findings
- The significance of this microglial phenotype and the impact of microglia for disease progression have remained controversial.
- To uncover and characterize putative changes in the functionality of microglia during Alzheimer's disease, we directly assessed microglial behavior in two mouse models of Alzheimer's disease.
- Using in vivo two-photon microscopy and acute brain slice preparations, we found that important microglial functions - directed process motility and phagocytic activity - were strongly impaired in mice with Alzheimer's disease-like pathology compared to age-matched non-transgenic animals.
- Notably, impairment of microglial function temporally and spatially correlated with Aβ plaque deposition, and phagocytic capacity of microglia could be restored by interventionally decreasing amyloid burden by Aβ vaccination.
Why it matters
In two mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, microglial process motility and phagocytic activity were impaired alongside amyloid deposition. This is animal research and does not show any treatment, cure or prevention for people.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (PloS one) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | PLoS ONE: journal h-index 594 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2013 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “mice”) — scores zero |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 479 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 31.9 citations a year over 15 year(s) since 2013 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 19.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 29 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 75 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Frank L. Heppner: h-index 82 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin: institution h-index 1,116 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 23577177) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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