Mar 28, 2025 13:00:00

Research results show that removing waste products from the brain dramatically improves memory in mice

A research team from the University of Washington has published a paper showing that they have succeeded in improving the memory of mice by strengthening the waste removal system in their brains.

Meningeal lymphatics-microglia axis regulates synaptic physiology: Cell

https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(25)00210-7

Clearing Brain Waste Dramatically Improves Memory in Aging Mice : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/clearing-brain-waste-dramatically-improves-memory-in-aging-mice

In order for the brain to continue functioning, it is necessary to excrete waste products, which are by-products produced during the metabolic process. In recent years, the prevailing theory is that the human brain flushes out waste products through

cerebrospinal fluid , and that waste products are particularly removed during sleep.

A paper is published that reinforces the hypothesis that the brain removes waste products during sleep, but some scientists criticize it - GIGAZINE

These waste removal mechanisms weaken as we age, and the accumulation of waste in the brain can cause cognitive impairment. Research is already underway to improve the brain's waste removal system, and in August 2024, it was reported that the flow of cerebrospinal fluid in old mice was successfully restored to the same level as in young mice using a drug called ' prostaglandin F2α '.

A treatment to improve the aging of the brain's waste disposal system that causes Alzheimer's disease will be developed - GIGAZINE

In this study, the University of Washington team used targeted protein therapy to promote the growth and function of meningeal lymphatic vessels in aged mice. Meningeal lymphatic vessels are lymphatic vessels that exist in the meninges that cover the outside of the brain, and improving the function of meningeal lymphatic vessels allows waste products to be removed more smoothly.

The treated mice had improved memory compared to untreated mice, and the drug also reduced the release of a protein called

interleukin-6 , which signals that the brain's cleansing system is overloaded, preventing brain damage caused by stressed microglia .

Another advantage of this technique is that the treatment targets the meningeal lymphatic vessels outside the brain, eliminating the complex steps required to cross the blood-brain barrier that protects the brain.

Based on these results, lead author Kim Kyung-duk said, 'Maintaining a functioning lymphatic system is crucial for brain health and memory,' and 'treatments that support the body's waste management system may be useful in maintaining brain health as the brain ages.'