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In 1948, Seymour S. Kety and Carl F. Schmidt published back-to-back papers in the JCI that are widely acknowledged as landmarks. Upon publication, the studies resolved a century-old debate, irrefutably demonstrating that cerebral blood flow is regionally regulated. The reported findings turned out to be so powerful in their implications that they provided the inspirational spark that illuminated a brand-new field: functional brain imaging. Thus these papers are landmarks of the rarest kind, not only ending a controversy, but also giving birth to one of the most exciting fields within modern day neuro science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In multiple sclerosis (MS), compromised blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity contributes to inflammatory T cell migration into the central nervous system. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is associated with BBB disruption and subsequent T cell migration into the CNS. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on MMP-9 levels and T cell migration. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy controls were pretreated with two types of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Cell supernatants were used to determine MMP-9 protein and activity levels. Jurkat cells were pretreated with EPA and DHA and were added to fibronectin-coated transwells to measure T cell migration. EPA and DHA significantly decreased MMP-9 protein levels, MMP-9 activity, and significantly inhibited human T cell migration. The data suggest that omega-3 fatty acids may benefit patients with multiple sclerosis by modulating immune cell production of MMP-9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central nervous system and peripheral nerves are guarded against free access from the outside by the blood-brain, blood-cerebrospinal fluid and blood-nerve barriers. The glucose transporter GLUT1 mediates the specific transfer of glucose across these barriers while GLUT3 is a high-affinity isoform of Type I glucose transporter expressed mostly in neurons where it is believed to be the main glucose transporter isoform. As for a long time it was an open question whether, GLUT1 and GLUT3 are present in the olfactory system, the aim of the present study was to give answers to these questions. In the study mucous membranes of the olfactory region of 20 male Wistar rats were studied by double immunofluorescence labeling. As the result of the study, the immunolocalization of glucose transporters GLUT1 in the endothelial cells of the olfactory mucosa and GLUT3 expression in olfactory receptor neurons were detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]