Meningeal lymphatic network: The middleman of neuroinflammation

Abstract

The central nervous system was long thought to be an immune-privileged organ, notably because of its lack of conventional lymphatic drainage. Years of scientific observations and the recent (re)discovery of the meningeal lymphatic system has brought new insights into the relationship of the brain with the peripheral immune system. The extended meningeal lymphatic network has been shown to be a major route for the circulation of molecular and cellular cerebrospinal fluid constituents to the cervical lymph nodes, and participates in the maintenance of brain function and the development of neurological disorders. In this review, we discuss the functional anatomy of the meningeal lymphatic network, its role in neuro-inflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders, and its therapeutic potential.

Potential pharmacological approaches for the treatment of HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders

“…It should be noted that in addition to the BBB, the choroid plexus and meninges are also investigated as possible sites for virus dissemination to the CNS [ 72 – 74 ] as well as critical players in neuroinflammation [ 75 , 76 ]. The CSF flow dynamics have also been recognized as a possible contribution of the CSF to disease pathogenesis.…”

Psychoneuroimmunology goes East: Development of the PNIRS affiliate and its expansion into PNIRS

“…These physicians are interested not only in clinical treatments, but also in the basic mechanisms underlying the interactions between the nervous and immune systems. When PNIRS Asia-Pacific organized a symposium for the first time in Japan at the 2019 annual meeting of the Japan Neuroscience Society, the Japanese Society for Neuroimmunology published a record of this symposium in its official journal (Shimada, 2020;Pal et al, 2020;Kelley and Shimada, 2020). Collaborations between the executive board members of the society and PNIRS Asia-Pacific are currently in the works, and the Japanese Society for Neuroimmunology and PNIRS Asia-Pacific hope to hold joint symposia in the near future.…”