Elimination of senescent cells prevents neurodegeneration in mice

There is strong interest in understanding how neurodegeneration is affected by a cellular state called senescence, in which cells stop dividing, suppress intrinsic cell-death pathways and release pro-inflammatory molecules that can harm healthy neighbours1,2. In a paper in Nature, Bussian et al.3 examine the role of senescent cells in a mouse model of a type of neurodegeneration that involves aggregation of the protein tau. They find that neuronal expression of mutant tau triggers senescence in glia, the support cells of the brain. Preventing the build-up of senescent glia can block the cognitive decline and neurodegeneration normally experienced by these mice.