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The Making of Medicine

One of 2018’s Most Promising Medical Advances

Another wonderful recognition of Jonathan Kipnis’ latest work: The National Institutes of Health has named his discovery about the role of the brain’s cleaning system in aging and Alzheimer’s disease one of 2018’s most promising medical advances.

The finding from Dr. Kipnis and his team suggests that impairments in the lymphatic vessels that carry waste from the brain could be major contributors both to Alzheimer’s and the cognitive decline that comes with age. The NIH included the discovery in its 2018 research highlights in the category of “findings with potential for enhancing human health.”

“When the scientists enhanced vessel drainage in older mice, the animals’ cognitive abilities improved. In contrast, disrupting these vessels increased buildup of Alzheimer’s disease-related proteins,” the NIH wrote. “These results suggest a possible way to combat the cognitive decline seen in aging and age-related diseases.”

We’ll keep you posted as Dr. Kipnis and his team continue their work.

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