Neuroscientists have identified that the receptor IL-1R1 plays a critical role in enabling neurons to directly communicate with the immune system. The new study provides the most detailed mapping of neuronal IL-1R1 (nIL-1R1) expression in the mouse brain, clarifying prior inconsistencies. Researchers were able to tag neuronal populations that express nIL-1R1 using a clever cell tagging approach, offering new insights into the functional roles of this receptor in the central nervous system (CNS).
Read more …'Ding-dong:' A study finds specific neurons with an immune doorbell
A new study has found older-looking brains in adults with sickle cell disease, helping to explain the cognitive challenges experienced by such individuals. A brain image from a healthy individual (left) shows a larger brain with more white matter compared with a brain image from a patient with sickle cell disease (right). Healthy individuals experiencing economic deprivation also had more-aged appearing brains.
Read more …Brains of people with sickle cell disease appear older