r/science • u/Potential_Being_7226 PhD | Psychology | Neuroscience • 13d ago

Neuroscience Boosting brain’s waste removal system improves memory in old mice | Researchers found that rejuvenating the lymphatic vessels in the brain enhanced recognition memory and restored synaptic function through an interleukin-6 (IL-6) pathway.

https://medicine.washu.edu/news/boosting-brains-waste-removal-system-improves-memory-in-old-mice/
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u/chessmasterjj 13d ago edited 13d ago

How do we clean out our brain of waste? 

Edit: Just says they boosted the lymphatic system of the mice, doesn't say how. If you give "strengthen lymphatic system" a Goog you get physical exercise, hydration and healthy diet. 

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u/offengineer 13d ago

There was just a piece yesterday on hyperthermia increasing the production of IL-6, which is probably tied to how exercise increases it.

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u/Intelligent_Sand2408 13d ago

This is interesting but what about various drugs of abuse and really any substance that effects the body’s set temperature point, why then do we see negative effects in such classes and not the opposite is it this effect is weak or just mitigated?

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u/Omegamoomoo 13d ago

Outweighed by the negatives I reckon