The first, long-sought evidence that our brains may drain some waste out through lymphatic vessels, has been observed by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. The finding further suggests the vessels could act as a pipeline between the brain and the immune system.
“We literally watched people’s brains drain fluid into these vessels. We hope that our results provide new insights to a variety of neurological disorders,”
said Daniel S. Reich, M.D., Ph.D., senior investigator at the NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the senior author of the study.
Lymphatic vessels are part of the body’s circulatory system. In most of the body they run alongside blood vessels.
They transport lymph, a colorless fluid containing immune cells and waste, to the lymph nodes. Blood vessels deliver white blood cells to an organ and the lymphatic system removes the cells and recirculates them through the body.
The process helps the immune system detect whether an organ is under attack from bacteria or viruses or has been injured.
