Immune cells flood into the aging brain, Stanford scientists discover
Stanford researchers have discovered that immune cells from the body increasingly enter the brain as humans age. This finding challenges the long-held belief that the brain is a closed system and could lead to new treatments for neurological diseases.
Why it matters
Understanding the role of immune cells in brain aging may provide breakthroughs in preventing or treating conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
For decades, scientists have generally viewed the brain's immune system as largely separate from the immune defenses operating throughout the rest of the body. The brain has its own specialized immune cells, along with the blood-brain barrier, which restricts many substances and cells from entering brain tissue.
New research from Stanford is challenging that picture. Scientists found that large numbers of immune cells from elsewhere in the body enter the human brain as people age. The discovery could reshape scientists' understanding of brain aging and may eventually create new possibilities for treating neurological diseases. The work, supported in part by the Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience at the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, was published recently in the journal Nature .
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