Immune System

Pregnancy May Alter Brain’s Immune Function

During pregnancy and for some time after giving birth, a woman’s immune response in the brain may be tuned down, a new study in rats suggests.

New Studies Demonstrate Impact of Brain’s Immune Cells on Mood and Behavior

Microglia, immune cells that reside in the brain and spinal cord, are a first-line defense against infection in the central nervous system. But the immune cells play more than a protective role—they also help shape developing neural circuits.

New Imaging Approach Reveals Brain-wide Neural Activity in Mice

A new method of capturing and analyzing images of the brain, described June 16 in the journal Cell, lets scientists see exactly which neurons fire throughout the brain of a mouse at

New Imaging Approach Reveals Brain-wide Neural Activity in Mice

A new method of capturing and analyzing images of the brain, described June 16 in the journal Cell, lets scientists see exactly which neurons fire throughout the brain of a mouse at

Infections During Pregnancy Could Cause Developmental Disorders in Children

Most pregnant mothers will go to great lengths to avoid being sick, and science suggests that their concerns may be well founded.