Gladstone Institutes May 29 2026 Think of the brain as if it were a house. Insulated from its environment, a house relies on complex networks-pipes, drains, and disposal systems-that interface with the outside world to keep the home functional on the inside. But when this infrastructure breaks down, trash accumulates and the resulting damage can be difficult to reverse. Similarly, the brain is largely isolated from the rest of the body, sealed off by barriers that carefully control what gets in