A new study shows that a combination of inflammation and hypoxia activates microglia in a way that persistently weakens the connection between neurons, contributing to brain damage in conditions such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-03/uobc-scb031214.php
Zhang, J., Malik, A., Choi, H. B., W. Y. Ko, R., Dissing-Olesen, L., & MacVicar, B. A. (2014). Microglial CR3 Activation Triggers Long-Term Synaptic Depression in the Hippocampus via NADPH Oxidase. Neuron, 82(1), 195-207. Retrieved from http://www.cell.com/article/S0896627314000749/abstract (Original work published 2014)