Nature of immune cells in the human brain disclosed

Researchers from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience and Amsterdam UMC have discovered how T cells protect the brain against harmful viruses. The results of the study, which are published in Nature Communications, are important for investigating the role of the immune system in numerous brain disorders.

The immune system protects the body against infections and cancer. The so-called T cells play a key role in this process. When T cells do not work properly, inflammation can develop, including in the brain. Until recently, little was known about the properties of these cells in healthy brains. Researcher and neurologist in training Joost Smolders says, "With this research, we have gained more knowledge about the location of T cells in the brain, how they look, what kind of inflammatory proteins (cytokines) they produce, and how they are controlled."

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