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/
8.3k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

242 comments sorted by

View all comments

79

u/waltwalt 13d ago

I didn't realize we had a way to artificially flush the lymphatic system. If we can flush the lymphatic system artificially I would assume that would be tested on Alzheimer's patients?

52

u/Potential_Being_7226 PhD | Psychology | Neuroscience 13d ago

This experimental treatment is not yet ready for use in humans. 

22

u/Objective_Law5013 13d ago

Not this one but a different one is being trialed in Shanghai.

We collaborated with surgeons who specialise in LVA supermicrosurgery for maxillofacial tumours and lymphoedema to develop a procedure to relieve the blockage of the glymphatic system. This surgery employs supermicrosurgery techniques to create LVA connecting the bilateral cervical, deep lymphatic vessels to the veins, resulting in lymphatic trunk decompression, which allows the lymph fluid in the high-pressure lymphatic vessels to flow into the low-pressure venous system.

https://gpsych.bmj.com/content/37/3/e101641