Alzheimer’ s disease ( AD) is a widespread neurodegenerative disease caused by complicated pathogenic factors. Its pathological features include β-amyloid precipitation in the brain, neurofibrillary tangles, and brain atrophy, and its clinical manifestations are brain cognitive dysfunction and memory loss. Astrocytes are widely distributed and abundant in the central nervous system. These cells can have protective or harmful effects in different periods of the disease course of AD through a variety of mechanisms. In recent years, astrocytes have received increasingly more attention with respect to their role in the pathophysiological mechanism of AD. This article focuses on the current status of the field of astrocyte research, especially their functional characteristics and the latest research progress in the pathological characteristics of AD. The overall aim of this report is to provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases.