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/Potential_Being_7226 PhD | Psychology | Neuroscience 13d ago

They boosted the lymphatic system by using an experimental treatment that causes the brain to overexpress vascular endothelial growth factor. The increase in this factor then causes the expansion and growth of lymphatic vessels. This treatment is not possible in people. 

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u/BPhiloSkinner 13d ago

Do humans have a cerebral lymphatic system? I read some years ago (2012?) about the mapping of a cerebral lymphatic system in Mice, but that no such system had been mapped in humans.

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u/Potential_Being_7226 PhD | Psychology | Neuroscience 13d ago

Yep. Published in 2015:

https://journals.lww.com/neurotodayonline/fulltext/2015/07020/new_study_suggests_brain_is_connected_to_the.1.aspx

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u/BPhiloSkinner 13d ago

It all started with an experiment Dr. Louveau was conducting on mouse meninges. After developing a method to mount them on a single slide and examine them as a whole, he noticed vessel-like patterns in the distribution of immune cells on those slides. He tested them for classic markers of lymphatic endothelial cells (LEC) — and there they were. Preliminary experiments suggested that a similar structure exists in humans, long unnoticed because of how closely it tracks the dural sinuses (sagittal and transverse).

TIL, and thank you.

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u/Potential_Being_7226 PhD | Psychology | Neuroscience 13d ago

You’re welcome! The story of the discovery is fascinating. It’s amazing what you can find when you look at something from a different perspective. :)

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u/dari7051 13d ago

I got to see Jeffrey Iliff of UW speak on glymphatic clearance and aquaporin-4 during a colloquium talk and have thought about it often since. The entire functional system is so, so cool. Super rich area for all sorts of lines of future work.