Earlier this month, researchers at University of Virginia released findings of a new study that examined the relationship between the lymphatic system and the brain. The findings were published in the journal Nature. With the research, scientists have discovered the possibility of a direct connection between the brain and the immune system.
The lymphatic system is a network of vessels that carries immune cells rather than blood and works with other parts of the immune system to carry a clear fluid containing white blood cells and helps remove toxins from the body. Lymphatic vessels were previously thought to have stopped at the base of the skull. But when the researchers examined the brains of mice in a new way, they discovered the vessels existed in the meninges, which is a membrane that envelops the brain and the spinal cord.
Jonathan Kipnis, who led this study, explained the significance: “We believe that for every neurological disease that has an immune component to it, these vessels may play a major role.”
The research team speculates that diseases such as Alzheimer’s may impair the lymphatic vessels’ ability to clear away toxic proteins from the brain. And the findings may help researchers to better understand the role that lymphatic cells may play in the inflammation in the brain that occurs in MS and other neurological disorders. These concepts remain unanswered questions and will be explored in the next phase of their research.
It is important to reiterate that these experiments were conducted in mice. Researchers also conducted initial experiments that indicate the same anatomy may exist in humans. However, those findings are very preliminary and human research will need to be conducted to confirm whether lymphatic vessels exist around human brains.
We will track the next phase of this research on this topic and will update you as researchers learn more about possible connections with MS and other neurological diseases.