A study published in Nature sheds new light on the
connection between the gut and the brain, untangling the complex
interplay that allows the byproducts of microorganisms living in the gut
to influence the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.
Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) have been using
both animal models and human cells from patients to tease out the key
players involved in the gut-brain connection as well as in the crosstalk
between immune cells and brain cells. Their new publication defines a
pathway that may help guide therapies for multiple sclerosis and other
neurologic diseases.
“These findings provide a clear understanding of how the gut impacts
central nervous system resident cells in the brain,” said corresponding
author Francisco Quintana, PhD, of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic
Diseases at BWH. “Now that we have an idea of the players involved, we
can begin to go after them to develop new therapies.”
The new research focuses on the influence of gut microbes on two
types of cells that play a major role in the central nervous system:
microglia and astrocytes. Microglia are an integral part of the body’s
immune system, responsible for scavenging the CNS and getting rid of
plaques, damaged cells and other materials that need to be cleared. But
microglia can also secrete compounds that induce neurotoxic properties
on the star-shaped brain cells known as astrocytes. This damage is
thought to contribute to many neurologic diseases, including multiple
sclerosis.
Brigham researchers have previously explored the gut-brain
connection to gain insights into multiple sclerosis. Although some
studies have examined how byproducts from organisms living in the gut
may promote inflammation in the brain, the current study is the first to
report on how microbial products may act directly on microglia to
prevent inflammation. The team reports that the byproducts that microbes
produce when they break down dietary tryptophan - an amino acid found
in turkey and other foods - may limit inflammation in the brain through
their influence on microglia.
To conduct their study, the research team examined gut microbes and
the influence of changes in diet in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis.
They found that compounds resulting from the breakdown of tryptophan
can cross the blood-brain barrier, activating an anti-inflammatory
pathway that limits neurodegeneration. The researchers also studied
human multiple sclerosis brain samples, finding evidence of the same
pathway and players.
Activation of this same pathway has recently been linked to
Alzheimer’s disease and glioblastoma. The Ann Romney Center for
Neurologic Diseases, of which Quintana is a part, brings experts
together to accelerate treatment for these diseases, as well as multiple
sclerosis Parkinson’s disease and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease).
“It is likely the mechanisms we’ve uncovered are relevant for other
neurologic diseases in addition to multiple sclerosis,” said Quintana.
“These insights could guide us toward new therapies for MS and other
diseases.”
Quintana and his colleagues plan to further study the connections to
neurologic diseases, and are also optimizing small molecules as well as
probiotics to identify additional elements that participate in the
pathway and new therapies.
The Kepler space telescope
has taught us there are so many planets out there, they outnumber even
the stars. Here is a sample of these wondrous, weird and unexpected worlds (and
other spectacular objects in space) that Kepler has spotted with its “eye” opened to the heavens.
Kepler has found that double sunsets
really do exist.
Yes, Star Wars fans, the double sunset on Tatooine could really exist.
Kepler discovered the first known planet around a double-star system, though
Kepler-16b is probably a gas giant without a solid surface.
Kepler has gotten us closer to finding
planets like Earth.
Nope. Kepler hasn’t found Earth 2.0, and that wasn’t the job it set out
to do. But in its survey of hundreds of thousands of stars, Kepler found planets
near in size to Earth orbiting at a distance where liquid water could pool on
the surface. One of them, Kepler-62f, is about 40 percent bigger than Earth and
is likely rocky. Is there life on any of them? We still have a lot more to
learn.
This sizzling world is so hot iron would
melt!
One of Kepler’s early discoveries was the small, scorched world of
Kepler-10b.
With a year that lasts less than an Earth day and density high enough to
imply it’s probably made of iron and rock, this “lava world” gave us the first
solid evidence of a rocky planet outside our solar system.
If it’s not an alien megastructure, what
is this oddly fluctuating star?
When Kepler detected the oddly fluctuating light from
“Tabby’s
Star,”
the internet lit up with speculation of an alien
megastructure. Astronomers have concluded it’s probably an orbiting dust
cloud.
Kepler caught this dead
star cannibalizing its planet.
What happens when a solar system dies? Kepler discovered a white dwarf,
the compact corpse of a star in the process of
vaporizing a
planet.
These Kepler planets are more than twice the age of our Sun!
The five small planets in Kepler-444
were born 11 billion years ago when our galaxy was in its youth. Imagine
what these ancient planets look like after all that time?
Kepler found a supernova exploding at
breakneck speed.
This premier planet hunter has also been watching stars explode. Kepler
recorded a sped-up version of a supernova called a
“fast-evolving
luminescent transit” that reached its peak brightness at breakneck
speed. It was caused by a star spewing out a dense shell of gas that lit up
when hit with the shockwave from the blast.
This is actually heartbreaking when you remember Lilo tells Stitch her parents went for a drive, and the bad weather caused them to crash.
I always thought this scene was adorable
Wow thanks guy
Right in the childhood.
i never made that connection
WOW
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
YOU RUINED MY FAVOURITE PART OF THE MOVIE
I get the feeling the adults knew…
and now I’m wondering how in the hell Lilo came to the conclusion that there’s a peanut butter loving fish god who demands tribute or else he’ll murder your family.
When massive trauma hits, some people try to find any way to make sense of what seems senseless. Find any semblance of control, of responsibility.
Lilo may be blaming herself (unfairly) for her parents’ death. This was the only connection she could make, the only thing she could have had any control over, so to her it must have been her fault. If only she was a good girl. If only she did the right thing. Then maybe…
It’s very very hard to lose a mindset like that even when it’s the most irrational thing, even when it hurts you, because then you’re left with nothing.
And when you’re six your pattern recognition skills are a work in progress. Lilo sees that type of fish one day and as it swims away it starts to rain; connection made.
