A collision happens. Someone is hurt, a head injury, a concussion. Just as the first responders arrive to help the person, inside the brain, another “crew” of responders is busy clearing debris and repairing injured tissue.
Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a key molecule involved in inflammation and plays an important role in both healthy and diseased states. In disease, high levels of IL-1 in the brain are linked to neuroinflammation, which can disrupt the body’s stress response,…
The brain constantly engages in dialogue with the body’s immune system. Such communication appears aimed at ensuring a delicate balance between defending against injury and infection and guarding healthy tissue.
Few autoimmune disorders are more challenging for patients than multiple sclerosis, a progressive condition that can affect vision, impair the ability to walk, cause extreme bouts of neuropathic pain, and tends to strike women at three times the rate o…
A collaborative effort between engineers and biologists at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has uncovered a neuroprotective mechanism in spinal cord injury (SCI), shedding new light on therapeutic approaches to potentially ben…
A study published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity reports the findings of a study by researchers based in Brazil, the United States and South Korea who set out to understand how viral infections cause pain and to contribute to the search f…
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-term disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the protective layer around nerve cells, known as the myelin sheath. This leads to nerve damage and worsening disability. Current treatments, like immunosuppressa…
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system. This impairs the transmission of signals between the brain and body and can lead to deficits in vision, motor control, sensation, a…
Low serum sodium concentrations in the blood are called hyponatremia, a prevalent clinical electrolyte disorder. In contrast to acute hyponatremia, chronic hyponatremia has been previously considered asymptomatic because the brain can successfully adap…
Severe injuries to the spinal cord damage nerve cells, disrupt communication with the brain and rest of the body, and lead to lasting disabilities for millions of people worldwide. The injury itself accounts for only a fraction of the overall damage in…
