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Shared Neuroinflammatory Mechanisms Across Dementia Types: An Integrative Review
Subramanian Thangaleela, Asif Ali, Yohanes Tandoro, Chin-Kun Wang. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025-12-23
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Dementia is a neurodegenerative condition marked by progressive cognitive decline, which affects people worldwide. Studies on dementia typically continue over years of uncertainty. Different types of dementia, like Alzheimer's disease dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and vascular dementia, exhibit different pathological features, yet their downstream inflammatory pathways involve similar inflammatory mediators. As an initial trigger, microglial cells and astrocytes become activated by protein aggregates, mutations, or any other cause, and release pro-inflammatory cytokines, which can lead to synaptic dysfunction, neuronal degeneration, and impaired cognitive function. Neuroinflammation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of all forms of dementia. Despite their distinct neuropathological features, inflammatory processes may coincide at a point and lead to neuronal degeneration and cognitive decline. Recent advancements in neuroimaging techniques and biomarker discovery revealed potential therapeutic targets that may mitigate neuroinflammation. The primary objective of this review is to explore the underlying mechanisms linking neuroinflammation to various types of dementia. This review focuses on shared and distinct neuroinflammatory mechanisms to unravel significant therapeutic strategies for dementia.
Key findings
- Recent advancements in neuroimaging techniques and biomarker discovery revealed potential therapeutic targets that may mitigate neuroinflammation.
- This review focuses on shared and distinct neuroinflammatory mechanisms to unravel significant therapeutic strategies for dementia.
Why it matters
This integrative review describes shared inflammatory pathways across different dementia types, with activated microglia and astrocytes releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines that can lead to synaptic dysfunction and neuronal degeneration. It is a review of mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets, not evidence of an existing treatment or cure.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 36/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 35 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 36 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (International Journal of Molecular Sciences) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | International Journal of Molecular Sciences: journal h-index 426 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 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 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 4 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 4 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Chin-Kun Wang holds only 2 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Chung Shan Medical University: institution h-index 222 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41516057) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 35 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 35 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 36 out of 100. |
| Total | 36 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3390/ijms27010179
- PubMed: 41516057
- Original source →
- Free full text: International Journal of Molecular Sciences →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Thangaleela, S., Ali, A., Tandoro, Y., & Wang, C.-K. (2025). Shared Neuroinflammatory Mechanisms Across Dementia Types: An Integrative Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27010179
Vancouver
Thangaleela S, Ali A, Tandoro Y, Wang C.-K. Shared Neuroinflammatory Mechanisms Across Dementia Types: An Integrative Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2025. doi:10.3390/ijms27010179. PMID: 41516057.
BibTeX
@article{thangaleela2025-41516057,
author = {Thangaleela, Subramanian and Ali, Asif and Tandoro, Yohanes and Wang, Chin-Kun},
title = {{Shared Neuroinflammatory Mechanisms Across Dementia Types: An Integrative Review}},
journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3390/ijms27010179},
pmid = {41516057},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27010179}
}