MOSCOW, 1 Jun. SSU scientists have developed a non-invasive technology for assessing the state of the blood-brain barrier in the human body. According to experts, the method is based on monitoring the work of the lymphatic vessels of the brain by EEG. The technology can be used to detect Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes, brain tumors, the authors of the study said in the Computational and Structural BiotechnologyJournal.
The lymphatic vessels of the brain perform the work of removing fluid from its tissues and the waste products and toxins contained in it, which can seriously disrupt the functioning of neurons, said experts from the Saratov National Research State University named after N.G. Chernyshevsky (SSU). For example, the accumulation of beta-amyloid, which is produced in brain tissues every day, can trigger the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Due to these properties, lymphatic vessels are also called vacuum cleaner vessels. It is interesting that they can work effectively only in the sleeping brain, and when we do not dream, SSU scientists emphasized.
“I also call these vessels the warriors of the invisible front, because they are actually transparent and many lymphatic vessels are connected to work only at critical moments, for example, when the barrier function of the brain is disturbed,” said Oksana Semyachkina, head of the Department of Human and Animal Physiology at SSU. Glushkovskaya.
1 of 3 «data->
2 of 3
3 of 3
1 of 3 » data->
2 of 3
3 of 3
Between the blood and brain tissues there is a system in the form of protein complexes and membrane structures that strictly control what passes into the brain. Bacteria, viruses and 95% of drugs do not pass through this strict blood-brain (from hema — «blood» and encephalon — «brain») barrier (BBB).
Experts noted that the BBB opens up for nutrients and when exposed to a number of factors, for example, after listening to loud music. This can be used to increase the bioavailability of drugs and their delivery to the brain tissue for the treatment of pathologies.
There are a number of brain diseases that are associated with impaired BBB, such as diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and depression , lack of sleep, brain tumors and injuries, scientists said. /20230517/nauka-1872241209.html» data->
Despite the important function of the BBB in maintaining brain health, there are a limited number of methods for assessing it. This is an MRI with contrast, which is administered intravenously a few minutes before the study. This method requires special complex equipment and specialists, which makes it expensive. The contrast agent has toxic properties and therefore has limited indications.
For this reason, the goal of research by SSU scientists was to find a new express method for assessing the state of the BBB, which could be used without restrictions.
It turned out that the lymphatic vessels react immediately if the BBB opens, SSU specialists said. This is due to the fact that when the BBB opens, first of all, water from the blood enters the brain tissue and this is a signal for its speedy removal by vacuum vessels. This reaction is explained by the importance of preventing the accumulation of excess fluid in the brain, because the human skull cannot expand. Therefore, excess fluid will compress the structures of the brain, which is critical for its functions.
< /span>
«The question arose of how it is possible to evaluate the work of invisible vessels. It turned out that it is possible. After all, they work during sleep, which can be studied by an electroencephalogram (EEG). If a special non-linear analysis of the EEG is carried out, then EEG- markers of activation of vessel-vacuum cleaners at the moment of falling asleep,” said Oksana Semyachkina-Glushkovskaya.
SSU scientists put forward a hypothesis according to which the markers of the work of vacuum cleaner vessels should be universal, that is, applicable not only during sleep, but also in other conditions. Studies have shown that EEG markers of the functioning of the lymphatic vessels can be used to assess the state of the BBB.
Based on this discovery, a unique technology was developed for non-invasive assessment of the state of the brain barrier function based on EEG monitoring, which has no analogues in world, experts noted.
Such a method can be used without restrictions, anywhere, it is inexpensive and does not require long-term training of medical staff, the scientists emphasized. The new technology will effectively determine the state of the BBB in a large number of patients, including during anesthesia, the depth of which affects the BBB.
Further research of the «Smart Sleep» laboratory is aimed at finding an answer to the question: whether the BBB opens during sleep is normal to exchange nutrients with the blood. If the hypothesis is confirmed, then this discovery will form the basis for the development of a new scientific concept for the delivery of drugs to the brain during sleep, the scientists said. Chernyshevsky «Technologies of personalized medicine» of the federal program «Priority-2030».