these structures clear waste from the brain but tend to deteriorate with age
Published in Brain/Neurology, Waste.
Scientists found a way to prevent and even treat age-related memory loss!
In a significant leap toward combating age-related cognitive decline, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine have rejuvenated the brain’s waste drainage system.
And the results show a remarkable boost in memory.
The team targeted the meningeal lymphatic vessels in older mice. In humans and mice, these structures clear waste from the brain but tend to deteriorate with age.
By stimulating vessel growth and improving drainage, researchers observed that treated mice performed better on memory tests than untreated ones, opening the door to noninvasive approaches for addressing neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
The study, published in Cell, also uncovered how impaired lymphatic drainage causes the brain’s immune cells to overproduce interleukin 6 (IL-6), a distress signal that disrupts neuron communication and leads to cognitive decline.
Enhancing the lymphatic system not only restored balance in neuron signaling but also reduced IL-6 levels, essentially giving the brain’s overwhelmed “cleaning crew” a helping hand. The findings underscore a new therapeutic frontier: improving brain health by optimizing the function of vessels outside the brain, potentially circumventing the blood-brain barrier and reviving memory in aging populations.
learn more https://medicine.washu.edu/news/boosting-brains-waste-removal-system-improves-memory-in-old-mice/