The Blood-Brain Barrier: Why Don’t The Brain Get Infected Easily?

Brain, as we know is the CPU of our body and its protection is the number one priority for us. But did you ever observe that brain doesn’t get infected as easily as other organs?

There is a reason behind this. Are you excited to know about this? Then keep reading.

The brain is the most important part of our body as we know and that is why there is a wonderful system to protect it. There is actually a protective layer known as the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

This barrier separates blood flowing in our body from the central nervous system that is the brain and extracellular fluid.

This barrier is actually made of tightly packed brain endothelial cells which are very specifically permeable in nature which means that they allow only selected things like blood cells, glucose, some gases and some other things which brain require.

Now many microorganisms cannot bypass this barrier but still, there are some specific microorganisms which can bypass this barrier. These microorganisms release cytotoxins which help them to bypass this barrier and that is why they can infect the brain.

Now as a coin has two faces this barrier have both advantages and disadvantages.

The advantage is that it protects our brain from many microorganisms.

The disadvantage is that it prevents almost all medicinal drugs from reaching the brain and that is why we still do not have any effective cure for diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Now there is extensive research going on so as to develop some effective method to deliver medicines to the brain and some methods that came up are

1. Using ultrasound to temporarily open this barrier.
2. Using some modifications on medicines so that barrier allows it to reach the brain.

So that was the answer to the question,” Why don’t brain get infected easily?”

Hope you like the article and if you do please share it with your curious friends.