Immunization and Brain Function

Johnathan Kipnis of the University of Virginia's School of Medicine has been doing recent research into the the relationship between brain function and the body's immunization. According to the article from "Discover" science magazine, the relationship in these two areas come from helper T-cells in the body. In the past scientist have thought immunity does not play a role in brain function because of the brain blood barrier giving the brain adequate protection from viruses and other threats. Recently, though, Kipnis has discovered that the helper T-cells can send signals to microalgia and microphages in the brain to help protect the brain from toxins during recovery. In order to test if the T-cells could possibly have an affect on the brain other just aid in recovery, Kipnis ran test trials on mice. These test consisted of two groups of mice, one with T-cells, the other without. He ran the mice through a maze in which they had to find a stand in a pool of water. The stand allowed the mice to get out of the water and sit without having to swim. In the test the mice with the T-cells eventually learned and remembered where the stand was, whereas the mice lacking the T-cells could not find it nor remember where it was. After this Kipnis injected the "dumb" mice with helper T-cells. The injected mice then performed just as well as the mice did that had the T-cells all along.



What Does This Mean For Modern Medicine?
This discovery is rather important in the age of modern medicine. The testing in T-cells could lead to many therapeutic remedies to help people's brain function as they are recovery from sickness or disease in which their immune systems are weak. Better overall brain function during recoveries could also lead to better and faster recoveries in the long run. With diseases such as AIDS and cancer where victims immune systems are constantly weak, the help of T-cell therapies could give people more comfortable lives while living with these diseases. In the current state of medicine and the human body, researchers are constantly trying to find connections with how different parts of the body work together for our well-being. The more we know about how our body works, the better we can control function and in-turn healing/recovery.

Why This Article?
For me this article strikes as interesting because normally you would think that brain function and immunization are separate body systems. The fact that we are finding research that suggest they are interconnected is exciting and leads one to wonder what other body functions and systems may be related. It makes me optimistic about future research on the human body and brain and excited for the breakthroughs in medicine to be made in years to come. Also any research that can yield results in higher brain function is pivotal for those suffering from neurological diseases. It is articles such as this the point to a bright future in modern medince and research.

http://discovermagazine.com/2013/march/18-immunity-intelligence