Missing Link Between the Brain and Immune System Identified
How the brain rids itself of toxins has been a point of debate for some time. The prevailing theory is that the brain doesn’t use the body’s lymphatic system, but rather has its own garbage removal system that appears to come online when we sleep. A study conducted by University of Virginia researchers in 2015 found that the brain does, in fact, use the body’s lymphatic system, but with a previously unidentified network of blood vessels in the meninges (the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord). The study was conducted in mice but the same vessels were also identified in human samples. It’s possible that abnormalities in these vessels may play a role in various neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia. If that finding is confirmed, the network of vessels could become an early treatment target for these and other diseases. Look for additional studies to build on this one in the next year.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2015/12/31/the-top-ten-brain-science-and-psychology-studies-of-2015/#142aa8686787
Check out this link more information
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v523/n7560/full/nature14432.html
