Charting New Frontiers: Transforming the Fight Against Age-Related Diseases Through Immune Insights

As the global population grows older, age-related diseases have become an increasingly urgent medical and societal challenge. A hallmark of aging is the gradual change and functional decline of the immune system, a process often referred to as immunosenescence. These immune alterations are central to the increased vulnerability to both acute and chronic diseases commonly observed in older adults.

Many age-associated diseases—including cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic conditions, autoimmune diseases, and cancers—are influenced by shifts in immunity that occur with age. Chronic low-grade inflammation, or "inflammaging," contributes to the onset and progression of these illnesses, while diminished immune surveillance and dysregulation can lead to a higher incidence of infections, poorer clinical outcomes, and an overall increase in morbidity and mortality.

Understanding how immune system changes drive or exacerbate age-related diseases is essential to developing new prevention strategies and therapeutic approaches. This Research Topic aims to bring together studies that explore the relationship between age-related immune changes and disease risk, pathophysiology, progression, and outcomes in older populations.

We welcome submissions focused on, but not limited to, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, neurodegenerative and cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and other metabolic syndromes, autoimmune conditions, cancers prevalent in older adults, and chronic infectious diseases. By highlighting the central role of immunity in the development and progression of these major age-related diseases, this collection seeks to advance our understanding and inspire new approaches for healthier aging.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Chronic Inflammation, Neurodegeneration, Healthy Aging, Inflammaging, Metabolic Diseases

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.