Researchers from Denmark and the US discover new structure in the brain

Researchers from institutions in the United States and Denmark have discovered a new brain structure. It is a thin membrane located just below the bones of the skull that seems to contribute to the defense of the brain.

The new structure, named slym (subarachnoidal lymphatic-like membrane), was described this Thursday (5) in the journal Science and found in a study that focuses on the meninges, composed of dura mater, arachnoid and pia mater layers. .

The first author, Kjeld Møllgård, professor of neuroanatomy at the University of Copenhagen, raised the following question: does the central nervous system have mesothelium (the layer that lines the chest, abdomen and the space around the heart, protecting the organs)? The study, in partnership with several scientists, showed that yes.

The slym divides the space below the arachnoid layer and, according to the researchers, helps to control the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, contributing to the transport and removal of waste from the brain.

Thin and delicate, the structure consists of only one or a few cells thick. Even so, by allowing the influx of fresh cerebrospinal fluid and the exit of toxic proteins, scientists estimate that it may be associated with Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases.

According to the study, the integrity of the slym prevents the entry of external defense cells – the central nervous system maintains its own population of defense cells. Furthermore, the structure appears to concentrate cells that scan the cerebrospinal fluid for signs of infection.

“The functional characterization of slym provides fundamental information about immunological barriers and fluid transport in the brain”, evaluate the authors.