Reviewing the Contributions of Circadian Rhythm Dysfunction and Dysbiosis to Blood-Brain Barrier Leakage

The blood-brain barrier is a layer of specialized cells wrapping blood vessels that pass through the brain. Only certain molecules and cells are admitted. The metabolism of the brain is thus isolated from that of the rest of the body. In particular, the immune system of the brain is quite different from that of the rest of the body. Unfortunately, this isolation is a vulnerability when, like all biological systems, the blood-brain barrier begins to break down and leak. The leakage of inappropriate molecules and cells into the brain provokes inflammation and dysfunction, and this is likely a contributing factor in the development of neurodegenerative conditions. What are the mechanisms leading to blood-brain barrier dysfunction? Researchers here focus on two specific topics, first the disruption of circadian rhythm observed to occur with aging, and secondly age-related changes to the gut microbiome. Circadian rhythm is a regulatory process in cell behavior and signaling that has many aspects, and that is becomes less well orchestrated with age is a whole topic in and of itself. The connections between this and any given dysfunction of aging are usually subtle. The gut microbiome is a little more straightforward, in that pro-inflammatory microbes increase with number, while those microbes producing useful metabolites are diminished in number. Chronic, unresolved inflammation is disruptive to tissues throughout the body, and likely contributes to blood-brain barrier dysfu...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs