Immune cells in the brain may help prevent seizures
Written by James Kingsland on December 17, 2020 â Fact checked by Rita Ponce, Ph.D.
Research in mice reveals that immune cells in the brain constantly survey their neighborhood for overexcited nerve cells. The findings could shed light on neurological conditions in which nerves are âhyperexcitable,â such as epilepsy and Alzheimerâs disease.
Image credit: CHRISTOPH BURGSTEDT/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images
Night and day, immune cells in the brain called microglia restlessly extend and retract branch-like âprocessesâ into their surroundings.
The established view among neuroscientists has been that the cells are looking for invading pathogens or evidence of damage.
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