Abstract:
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved in neuron-neuron communication and glia-neuron communication. In neurodegenerative diseases, EVs act as carriers of pathogenic proteins over large distances. Therefore, an intriguing hypothesis is that EVs could be implicated in the progression of neuronal dysfunction between connected regions, contributing to the spreading of neurodegeneration. We have recently demonstrated the involvement of large l EVs, released by microglial cells, in the rise and propagation of early synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease. We suggest a new mechanism controlling the diffusion of large EVs and their pathogenic signals in the brain parenchyma.