Researchers at the University of Virginia’s School of Medicine have discovered a long-hidden series of lymphatic vessels which link the brain to the immune system. These Lymphatic vessels are also responsible for filtering and transporting fluid from tissue before returning it to the bloodstream.
This Landmark discovery about the brain, published in Nature, has shaken up the medical community and could prompt a rewrite of the textbooks.
The best part about this discovery is that it might help in understanding the facts regarding how our immune system influences our brain and our behavior. This breakthrough would have a major impact on the study and treatment of neurological disease, and may also lead to new treatments for dementia, autism, and other neurological disorders.
Lead researcher, Jonathan Kipnis from the University of Virginia, said, “We believe that for every neurological disease that has an immune component to it, these vessels may play a major role.” He added, “It changes entirely the way we perceive the neuro-immune interaction.”
