The blood brain barrier acts as a filter, preventing many substances from entering the central nervous system. In order to minimize the risk of brain damage the body builds a wall along the sides of the brains blood vessels. The blood brain barrier depends on the endothelial cells that form the walls of the capillaries. The blood brain barrier prevents or slows the passage of some drugs and other chemical compounds, radioactive ions, and disease causing organisms such as viruses from the blood in the central nervous system. It also allows certain substances to enter freely such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. Water crosses through protein channels in the wall of the endothelial cells. Molecules that dissolve in the fats of the membrane also cross freely. Such molecules are vitamins A and D, illegal drugs, antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs. Abnormalities of the blood brain barrier have been implicated in the pathology of mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.
I too found the blood-brain barrier interesting unfortunately I do not recall my version of the book having so much detail, and if it did perhaps it was not put as simply like you just did. (So thank you for that). It is interesting to me that the blood-brain barrier prevents bad things from entering yet it lets in illegal drugs. Why is that? Another thing I would like to know is if abnormalities of the blood-brain barrier have been linked to the pathology of mental illnesses then is there a way to correct it? I shall explore this topic further.
The blood-brain barrier is such an interesting topic! I think it's so amazing how these cells in our bodies work. It's such a mind-boggling concept to grasp because so much work is going on all at once. Damaris brings up good points about the topic: how it could be attributed to mental illness and how it mostly protects us from everything yet allows harmful drugs such as heroine to enter. The anatomy of it is not so difficult to grasp as much as the functionality of it and what that function means for the brain and nervous system as a whole.
I too found the blood-brain barrier interesting unfortunately I do not recall my version of the book having so much detail, and if it did perhaps it was not put as simply like you just did. (So thank you for that). It is interesting to me that the blood-brain barrier prevents bad things from entering yet it lets in illegal drugs. Why is that? Another thing I would like to know is if abnormalities of the blood-brain barrier have been linked to the pathology of mental illnesses then is there a way to correct it? I shall explore this topic further.
ReplyDeleteThe blood-brain barrier is such an interesting topic! I think it's so amazing how these cells in our bodies work. It's such a mind-boggling concept to grasp because so much work is going on all at once.
ReplyDeleteDamaris brings up good points about the topic: how it could be attributed to mental illness and how it mostly protects us from everything yet allows harmful drugs such as heroine to enter.
The anatomy of it is not so difficult to grasp as much as the functionality of it and what that function means for the brain and nervous system as a whole.