Primetime for microglia: When stress and infection collide

Inflammation during critical windows of development contributes to behavioral affect later in life. In this of Neuron, Cao et al. (2021) demonstrate a novel mechanism through which early life Tlr4-dependent inflammation in microglia permanently alters neuronal function and leaves male mice susceptible to stress-induced depressive-like behaviors.

Automated summary

The study found that early Tlr4-dependent inflammation permanently alters neuronal function in microglia, making male mice more susceptible to stress-induced depressive-like behaviors later in life.