Express Subway from Skull to Brain —
A number of thrilling discoveries have arisen in recent months from the field of neuroimmunology. First researchers stumbled upon the brain’s lymphatic system despite believing for decades that none existed. Now researchers uncovered a mechanism for immune cells in the bone marrow of the skull to reach the brain tissue directly. They actually have a tunnel system to land directly on the brain without going through the vascular system.
The field of neuro-immunology finds itself in the headlines for one big reason: so many neurologic and psychiatric diseases are being linked to inflammation. Mood disorders, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis and more are influenced or caused by inflammation in the nervous system. In the past, we believed that the brain was this sacred place in terms of the immune system. Now we know that the immune system and the nervous system co-function interdependently.
In this study, researchers were able to differentiate between immune cells arising in the leg bone marrow and those from the skull. When brain inflammation occurred, the number of skull originating cells were higher than the leg ones. This means that they had a direct entrance versus if they just traveled through the blood stream. They also think that they found the chemical signal which made the skull bone marrow cells enter the brain, stromal cell derived factor 1.
Far more research remains necessary before this can be used clinically, but they are dreaming big. They are asking if these tunnels and the mechanisms behind them are underlying mechanisms for neurological diseases. At this point, only God knows. Regardless, as a functional MD, I look forward to therapies which modulate this process and lead to healthier more abundant lives for my patients.
NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. “Secret tunnels discovered between the skull and the brain: Study suggests immune cells rush through channels to get to injured tissue quickly.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 27 August 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180827180803.htm>.
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.