Eye therapy for the brain

The eyes have been called the window to the brain. It turns out they also serve as an immunological barrier that protects the organ from pathogens and even tumors, researchers have found. In a new study (Nature, 2024; DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07130-8), researchers showed that vaccines injected into the eyes of mice can help disable the herpes virus, a major cause of brain encephalitis.

To their surprise, the vaccine activates an immune response through lymphatic vessels along the optic nerve.

The results were published Feb. 28 in the journal Nature.

Source: ScienceDaily