nerve barrier

Brain tissue requires high amounts of copper (Cu) for its key physiological processes, such as energy production, neurotransmitter synthesis, maturation of neuropeptides, myelination, synaptic plasticity, and radical scavenging. The requirements for Cu in the brain vary depending on specific brain regions, cell types, organism age, and nutritional status. Cu imbalances cause or contribute to several life-threatening neurologic disorders including Menkes disease, Wilson disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and others...

Glaucoma is the commonest cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, with over 70% of people affected remaining undiagnosed. Early detection is crucial for halting progressive visual impairment in glaucoma patients, as there is no cure available. This narrative review aims to: identify reasons for the significant under-diagnosis of glaucoma globally, particularly in Australia, elucidate the role of primary healthcare in glaucoma diagnosis using Australian healthcare as an example, and discuss how recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) can be implemented to improve diagnostic outcomes...

Pollution of micro/nano-plastics (MPs/NPs) is ubiquitously prevalent in the environment, leading to an unavoidable exposure of the human body. Despite the protection of the blood-brain barrier, MPs/NPs can be transferred and accumulated in the brain, which subsequently exert negative effects on the brain. Nevertheless, the potential neurodevelopmental and/or neurodegenerative risks of MPs/NPs remain largely unexplored. In this review, we provide a systematic overview of recent studies related to the neurotoxicity of MPs/NPs...

In adult mammals, injured retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) fail to spontaneously regrow severed axons, resulting in permanent visual deficits. Robust axon growth, however, is observed after intra-ocular injection of particulate β-glucan isolated from yeast. Blood-borne myeloid cells rapidly respond to β-glucan, releasing numerous pro-regenerative factors. Unfortunately, the pro-regenerative effects are undermined by retinal damage inflicted by an overactive immune system. Here, we demonstrate that protection of the inflamed vasculature promotes immune-mediated RGC regeneration...

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202410000-00029/figure1/v/2024-02-06T055622Z/r/image-tiff Disturbances in the microbiota-gut-brain axis may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Magnesium-L-threonate has recently been found to have protective effects on learning and memory in aged and Alzheimer's disease model mice. However, the effects of magnesium-L-threonate on the gut microbiota in Alzheimer's disease remain unknown. Previously, we reported that magnesium-L-threonate treatment improved cognition and reduced oxidative stress and inflammation in a double-transgenic line of Alzheimer's disease model mice expressing the amyloid-β precursor protein and mutant human presenilin 1 (APP/PS1)...

Traumatic brain injury is followed by a cascade of dynamic and complex events occurring at the cellular level. These events include: diffuse axonal injury, neuronal cell death, blood-brain barrier break down, glial activation and neuroinflammation, edema, ischemia, vascular injury, energy failure, and peripheral immune cell infiltration. The timing of these events post injury has been linked to injury severity and functional outcome. Extracellular vesicles are membrane bound secretory vesicles that contain markers and cargo pertaining to their cell of origin and can cross the blood-brain barrier...

PURPOSE: Ischemic stroke is a high-incidence disease that threatens human well-being. The potent neuroprotective effects render reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers potential agents for acute ischemic stroke therapy. Challenges such as inadequate permeability across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), limited half-life, and adverse effects hinder the widespread utilization of small molecule and inorganic ROS scavengers. Thus, there is an urgent demand for efficacious neuroprotective agents targeting ischemic stroke...

Glymphatic transport is vital for the physiological homeostasis of the retina and optic nerve. Pathological alterations of ocular glymphatic fluid transport and enlarged perivascular spaces have been described in glaucomatous mice. It remains to be established how diabetic retinopathy, which impairs vision in about 50% of diabetes patients, impacts ocular glymphatic fluid transport. Here, we examined ocular glymphatic transport in chronic hyperglycemic diabetic mice as well as in healthy mice experiencing a daily transient increase in blood glucose...

BACKGROUND: The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is a thin film that exists within the milk emulsion, suspended on the surface of milk fat globules, and comprises a diverse array of bioactive components. Recent advancements in MFGM research have sparked a growing interest in its biological characteristics and health-related functions. Thorough exploration and utilization of MFGM as a significant bioactive constituent in milk emulsion can profoundly impact human health in a positive manner...

Vagal neurostimulation (VNS) is used for the treatment of epilepsy and major medical-refractory depression. VNS has neuropsychiatric functions and systemic anti-inflammatory activity. The objective of this study is to measure the clinical efficacy and impact of VNS modulation in depressive patients. Six patients with refractory depression were enrolled. Depression symptoms were assessed with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating, and anxiety symptoms with the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. Plasmas were harvested prospectively before the implantation of VNS (baseline) and up to 4 years or more after continuous therapy...

Neuro-COVID, a condition marked by persistent symptoms post-COVID-19 infection, notably affects various organs, with a particular focus on the central nervous system (CNS). Despite scant evidence of SARS-CoV-2 invasion in the CNS, the increasing incidence of Neuro-COVID cases indicates the onset of acute neurological symptoms early in infection. The Omicron variant, distinguished by heightened neurotropism, penetrates the CNS via the olfactory bulb. This direct invasion induces inflammation and neuronal damage, emphasizing the need for vigilance regarding potential neurological complications...

Oxytocin is a reproductive hormone implicated in the process of parturition and widely used during labor. Oxytocin is produced within the supraoptic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and released from the posterior pituitary lobe into the circulation. Oxytocin is released in pulses with increasing frequency and amplitude in the first and second stages of labor, with a few pulses released in the third stage of labor. During labor, the fetus exerts pressure on the cervix of the uterus, which activates a feedforward reflex-the Ferguson reflex-which releases oxytocin...

The cornea serves as a vital protective barrier for the eye; however, it is prone to injury and damage that can disrupt corneal epithelium and nerves, triggering inflammation. Therefore, understanding the biological effects and molecular mechanisms involved in corneal wound healing and identifying drugs targeting these pathways is crucial for researchers in this field. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of progranulin (PGRN) in treating corneal injuries. Our findings demonstrated that PGRN significantly enhanced corneal wound repair by accelerating corneal re-epithelialization and re-innervation...

The somatosensory nervous system surveils external stimuli at barrier tissues, regulating innate immune cells under infection and inflammation. The roles of sensory neurons in controlling the adaptive immune system, and more specifically immunity to the microbiota, however, remain elusive. Here, we identified a mechanism for direct neuroimmune communication between commensal-specific T lymphocytes and somatosensory neurons mediated by the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the skin. Intravital imaging revealed that commensal-specific T cells are in close proximity to cutaneous nerve fibers in vivo...

The fascia of the pancreatic head is referred to as the retropancreatic fascia of Treitz, and that of the body and tail of the pancreas is named the retropancreatic fascia of Toldt. However, the spatial relationship between the nerves, fascia, and the distribution of the fascia on the dorsal side of the pancreas remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the distribution of these fasciae and elucidate the spatial relationship between the nerves and arteries connecting the retroperitoneal space and the peritoneal organs by studying eight cadavers using macroscopic anatomical examination, wide-range serial sectioning, and three-dimensional reconstruction...

Vagus nerve stimulation devices are conditionally approved in MRI with stimulation turned off and the requirement to modify the stimulation settings may be a barrier to scanning in some radiology practices. There is increasing interest in studying the effects of stimulation during MRI/fMRI. This study evaluated the safety of standard and investigational microburst vagus nerve stimulation therapies during MRI/fMRI. A prospective, multi-center study was conducted in patients with an investigational vagus nerve stimulation device that delivered either standard or investigational microburst vagus nerve stimulation...

This comprehensive review delves into the potential of intranasal insulin delivery for managing Alzheimer's Disease (AD) while exploring the connection between AD and diabetes mellitus (DM). Both conditions share features of insulin signalling dysregulation and oxidative stress that accelerate inflammatory response. Given the physiological barriers to brain drug delivery, including the blood-brain barrier, intranasal administration emerges as a non-invasive alternative. Notably, intranasal insulin has shown neuroprotective effects, impacting Aβ clearance, tau phosphorylation, and synaptic plasticity...

Glutamate is the major excitatory amino acid in the vertebrate brain, playing an important role in most brain functions. It exerts its activity through plasma membrane receptors and transporters, expressed both in neurons and glia cells. Overstimulation of neuronal glutamate receptors is linked to cell death in a process known as excitotoxicity, that is prevented by the efficient removal of the neurotransmitter through glutamate transporters enriched in the glia plasma membrane and in the components of the blood-brain barrier (BBB)...

Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder that causes increased memory loss, mood swings, behavioral disorders, and disruptions in daily activities. Polymer scaffolds for the brain have been grown under laboratory, physiological, and pathological circumstances because of the limitations of conventional treatments for patients with central nervous system diseases. The blood-brain barrier prevents medications from entering the brain, challenging AD treatment. Numerous biomaterials such as biomolecules, polymers, inorganic metals, and metal oxide nanoparticles have been used to transport therapeutic medicines into the nervous system...

Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and presently, there is no effective neuroprotective therapy. Zinc is an essential trace element which plays important physiological roles in the central nervous system. Free zinc concentration is tightly regulated by zinc-related proteins in the brain under normal conditions. Disruption of zinc homeostasis, however, has been found to play an important role in the mechanism of brain injury following ischemic stroke. A large of free zinc releases from storage sites after cerebral ischemia, which affects the functions and survival of nerve cells, including neurons, astrocytes and microglia, resulting in cell death...