Beyond repair, our group was the first to propose found that the immune system supports healthy brain plasticity, with positive effects on adult neurogenesis, and spatial learning and memory [1, 2]. Moreover circulating immune cells were found to also be needed for fighting against mental stress and depression [3]. The role of immune molecules and cells in controlling neurogenesis was further extended by our demonstration of a direct cross-talk between myeloid cells and neural stem cells, and the role of TLR expression by neural stem cells in controlling neurogenesis [4].
References
[1] Kipnis J, Cohen H, Cardon M, Ziv Y, Schwartz M. T cell deficiency leads to cognitive dysfunction: implications for therapeutic vaccination for schizophrenia and other psychiatric conditions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2004;101:8180-5.
[2] Ziv Y, Ron N, Butovsky O, Landa G, Sudai E, Greenberg N et al. Immune cells contribute to the maintenance of neurogenesis and spatial learning abilities in adulthood. Nature neuroscience, 2006;9:268-75.
[3] Lewitus GM, Wilf-Yarkoni A, Ziv Y, Shabat-Simon M, Gersner R, Zangen A et al. Vaccination as a novel approach for treating depressive behavior. Biological psychiatry, 2009;65:283-8.
[4] Rolls A, Shechter R, London A, Ziv Y, Ronen A, Levy R et al. Toll-like receptors modulate adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Nature cell biology, 2007;9:1081-8.