Breaking Barriers: Integrating Immunology and Neuroscience to Transform AD/ADRD Research and Bring a Better Understanding of the Aging Brain

Post Date: May 8, 2026

Expiration Date: May 1, 2028

Purpose 
This topic underscores the critical need for interdisciplinary, investigator-initiated research that integrates immunology, neuroscience, and biogerontology to advance the prevention, treatment, and potential cure of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias (ADRD). Accumulating evidence implicates dysregulation of both innate and adaptive immune responses in the aging brain as a significant contributor to AD/ADRD pathogenesis. However, mechanistic understanding and the translational potential of such findings remains limited, due to insufficient cross-disciplinary collaboration. By promoting collaborative studies of immune-nervous system interactions across the aging lifespan, this topic aims to accelerate fundamental discovery and support the development of improved diagnostics, risk stratification tools, and innovative immunotherapeutic strategies.

Background and Scientific Context
Mounting evidence suggests that the adaptive and innate immune systems play critical roles in normal aging brain and the pathogenesis of AD/ADRD.  In clinical studies, changes in properties of T-cells, B-cells, the complement system, and immunophenotypes, including presence of neurodegenerative disease-specific autoantibodies, have been reported in individuals living with AD/ADRD. Research further suggests a link between autoimmunity, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. Despite these promising insights, there are limited studies that directly address these important research areas and the underlying clinical relationships between these conditions remain poorly understood. A major obstacle is the lack of sustained collaboration between immunologists, infectious disease experts, and neuroscientists, leaving a critical knowledge gap that hinders progress in the field. By fostering sustained interdisciplinary efforts and using cutting edge technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), and novel model systems, we can accelerate discovery at the intersection of the immune system (i.e., autoimmunity/infectious disease) and nervous system, thereby identifying molecular pathways and mechanisms that may transform our understanding of cognitive decline of aging brain and pathology of AD/ADRD, inform the development of novel biomarkers, and unveil novel therapeutic targets. Therefore, this topic is proposed to encourage more efforts on determining the relationships between the immune and nervous systems in the aging brain and etiology of AD/ADRD. These studies hold the potential to revolutionize AD/ADRD diagnostics, enable more precise risk stratification, and support discovery of immunotherapeutics.