Expanding brain lymphatics restores cognitive function

A Nature paper published Wednesday showed that enhancing the function of the brain’s lymphatic vessels can reverse age-related cognitive decline in mice and could be a strategy for treating Alzheimer’s disease. PureTech Health plc (Boston, Mass.) has snatched up IP covering the technology.

The brain’s lymphatic system was discovered three years ago by Jonathan Kipnis at the University of Virginia. In a 2015 Nature paper, Kipnis and colleagues showed lymphatic vessels reside in the meningeal membranes surrounding the brain and connect the organ to cervical lymph nodes outside the CNS...