Clues in Brain's Waste System May Help Explain Alzheimer's

A study published in Nature suggests the age-related deterioration of lymphatic vessels that help the brain purge waste could contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease, reports Medical News Today . The researchers employed magnetic resonance imaging scans to track cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through lymphatic vessels in rodents. The team observed basal meningeal lymphatic vessels (mLVs) as the primary routes for CSF drainage from the brain. "We also show that basal mLVs are hotspots for the clearance of CSF macromolecules and that both mLV integrity and CSF drainage are impaired with aging," the authors said. The researchers suggest by mapping drainage routes, this research could help in developing treatments that aim to reduce toxic protein accrual by improving the brain's waste disposal system.