Five things you may not have known about the brain ("must miss" system)
There is no doubt that the human brain is the most complex and mysterious organ in the human body.
With the help of scientists, advances in neuroimaging have only recently made it possible to study the living brain at a level of detail previously unattainable, and to solve a small part of its mysteries.
The latest discovery, described in the journal Science, is a previously unknown component of the brain's anatomy that acts both as a protective barrier and as a platform from which immune cells monitor the brain for infection and inflammation.
The new study by the University of Rochester and the University of Copenhagen changed the understanding of the basic mechanics of the human brain and found significant findings for the field of neuroscience.
The anatomical structure that was discovered is actually a layer of tissue, called the subarachnoid lymphatic membrane (SLYM - Subarachnoidal LYmphatic).
According to the researchers, it plays an important role in both the removal of brain waste and in the immune systems, and it acts as a protective barrier, as well as containing immune cells.
"The discovery of a new anatomical structure that separates and helps control the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in and around the brain now provides us with a greater appreciation for the sophisticated role that cerebrospinal fluid plays not only in transporting and removing waste from the brain, but also in supporting its immune defenses," the researchers said.
Here are other organs discovered in the last decade:
Researchers discovered a new organ that you didn't know existed in your body , the
intestinal suspension: Another organ was discovered in the human body
What else is going on there?
SLYM - the new part of the brain (photo: official website, University of Copenhagen)
The membrane was first characterized in mice, but has since been observed in adult human brains.
It is only a few cells thick and is one of four such membranes between the skull and the brain.
The other three are Dura mater, Arachnoid Mate and Pia mater - together, they make up the meningeal layer.
The last addition divides the space below the arachnoid layer, the subarachnoid space, which contains cerebrospinal fluid, into two compartments.
In doing so, it joins the other meningeal membranes in creating a barrier between the brain and the rest of the body.
The SLYM, specifically, appears to separate fresh, "clean" cerebrospinal fluid from a "dirty" one that contains cellular waste material.
It is likely that it is involved in the glymphatic system - a network responsible for removing waste in the brain.
These and similar observations suggest that diseases as diverse as multiple sclerosis, central nervous system infections, and Alzheimer's may be caused or exacerbated by SLYM dysfunction.
They also suggest that drug delivery to the brain may be affected by SLYM function, which will need to be taken into account when developing new generations of biological therapies.
health
news
Tags
brain
