Scientists Discover that the Brain Cleans Itself

“We’re hopeful that these findings have implications for many conditions that involve the brain, such as traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and Parkinson’s disease.”

Alzheimer's Reading Room

Scientists have discovered a cleansing mechanism in the brain, essentially a river inside the brain.

They hope that this newly discovered fluid stream might be enlisted to flush away the buildup of proteins associated with Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and other neurodegenerative disorders.

“It’s a hydraulic system,” said Maiken Nedergaard. “Once you open it, you break the connections, and it cannot be studied. We are lucky enough to have technology now that allows us to study the system intact, to see it in operation.”

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