Scientists show how defects in blood-brain barrier could cause neurological disorder
The blood-brain barrier, formed by blood vessels , protects the brain from toxins circulating in the body's blood system. It also can keep out therapeutic drugs and, when defective, biomolecules that are needed for healthy brain development. The latter is what happens in Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome, according to investigators from Cedars-Sinai and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The rare, congenital syndrome causes cognitive disability, impaired speech and underdeveloped muscles, among other symptoms. Clive Svendsen, PhD, director of the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, said the model developed by the collaborative team's study, published May 16 in the journal Cell Stem Cell , may shed light on other neurological conditions that involve possible dysfunctions in the blood-brain barrier. These conditions include Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease, which together affect millions worldwide. A related paper, involving Sve...