Alcohol abuse is a global public health problem.Excessive drinking not only damages digestive tract,cardiovascu-lar and endocrine systems,but also damages central nervous system(CNS).Recent studies have shown that alcohol interacts with neu-roimmune system to alter neuroimmune signaling and molecular expression,thereby leading to neuroinflammation and regulating a wide range of brain functions.Microglia is main cell of CNS involved in neuroimmune responses.Microglia is activated by alcohol and acts on neurons,leading to neuropsychiatric diseases,such as neuronal loss,abnormal synaptic connections,cognitive decline and motor dysfunction.Alcohol chronically stimulates digestive tract and also affects microglia along gut-brain axis.Neural properties of microglia and related immune factors and their important roles in neuroinflammation provide a new insight into neuroimmune mecha-nisms underlying alcohol-induced changes in brain function and behavior.This review discusses progress of role of microglia and their immune signaling in alcohol-induced neuroinflammation,and provides theoretical basis for further research on neurobiological mecha-nism and treatment of alcohol abuse.

Alcohol abuse is a global public health problem.Excessive drinking not only damages digestive tract,cardiovascu-lar and endocrine systems,but also damages central nervous system(CNS).Recent studies have shown that alcohol interacts with neu-roimmune system to alter neuroimmune signaling and molecular expression,thereby leading to neuroinflammation and regulating a wide range of brain functions.Microglia is main cell of CNS involved in neuroimmune responses.Microglia is activated by alcohol and acts on neurons,leading to neuropsychiatric diseases,such as neuronal loss,abnormal synaptic connections,cognitive decline and motor dysfunction.Alcohol chronically stimulates digestive tract and also affects microglia along gut-brain axis.Neural properties of microglia and related immune factors and their important roles in neuroinflammation provide a new insight into neuroimmune mecha-nisms underlying alcohol-induced changes in brain function and behavior.This review discusses progress of role of microglia and their immune signaling in alcohol-induced neuroinflammation,and provides theoretical basis for further research on neurobiological mecha-nism and treatment of alcohol abuse.