(RoyalPatriot.com )- Scientists have identified a new layer of brain structure that monitors and protects the brain.
According to a science publication, it was believed that the meningeal layer surrounding the brain only consisted of three distinct layers: dura, arachnoid, and pia matter. The Subarachnoid LYmphatic-like Membrane (SLYM) was discovered by researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Rochester using cutting-edge imaging technology.
According to the report, most research on SLYM has been undertaken on mice, although the presence of this layer in the human brain has been proven. The SLYM is only a few cells thick and plays a role in the back-and-forth flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), almost acting as a filter for good and bad CSF. Immune cells were found in SLYM, indicating that it is a kind of mesothelium, a membrane that surrounds other human organs such as the heart and lungs.
According to a publication, SLYM is unusual because it is exceedingly thin and delicate, yet a strong barrier. The immune cells in SLYM prevent the central nervous system’s immune cells from entering the brain while simultaneously checking the brain’s CSF for signs of infection or other abnormalities and flushing them away.
According to a published study, SLYM responds to aging and inflammation. When damage is identified, the number of immune cells increases in response to inflammation and aging.
SLYM may provide the brain with some protection from the skull. Various circulatory, respiratory, and head movements expose the brain to potential collisions and friction with the skull, yet SLYM may decrease brain-skull friction during such jarring physiological activity.
Reports reveal the discovery of SLYM paves the way for extensive research into the link between the brain, central nervous system, and other disorders. SLYM’s reaction to aging and inflammation and the newly found membrane’s potential significance in Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, and central nervous system infections are particularly interesting. These findings also call into question how medications and gene therapies are administered to the brain.
Now that’s using your noodle!
