In an extensive review, Sheridan and Murphy (2013) highlight the crosstalk of neurons and glia in health and disease and discuss that the FKN/CX3CR1 ligand/receptor pair seems to have evolved as a communication link between neurons and microglial cells, being crucial not only for maintaining tissue homeostasis under normal physiological conditions, but also being activated under inflammatory conditions such as stroke or Alzheimer's disease. The gene discussed is CX3CL1; the disease is early-onset autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease.