Do the extracellular vesicles excreted during neuronal cell death play a neuron‐glia signalling role in neurodegeneration.

During neurodegeneration, dying neuronal cells may trigger neuroinflammatory responses or inform neighbouring glial cells of their dying status by releasing extracellular vesicles. Karyoptosis is a novel cell death caused by a block in autophagy which was first discovered in a dentatorubral‐pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA) mouse model. During karyoptosis cells exhibit signs of nucleophagy (nuclear breakdown) and vesicle expulsion. Understanding the molecular underpinnings of neurodegeneration is important for informing possible therapeutic intervention. Our hypothesis is that dying neurons release vesicles which are phagocytosed by microglia, and this leads to an inflammatory response.