Researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Barcelona have developed a modern laboratory model to study how the malaria parasite breaches the brain’s protective barrier, a critical step in the development of cerebral malaria.
The team created a three-dimensional replica of the blood-brain barrier using endothelial cells, pericytes, and astrocytes — the key components that form this vital shield protecting the brain from harmful substances in the bloodstream.
They then exposed the model to malaria parasites during the egress stage, when the parasite bursts out of red blood cells, a phase considered the most dangerous in its life cycle.
This advanced model allows scientists to observe in real time how the parasite damages the barrier, leading to the neurological complications seen in severe malaria cases, including long-term cognitive impairments in survivors.
According to the World Health Organization, malaria caused an estimated 282 million infections and 610,000 deaths globally in 2024, with the African region accounting for 95 percent of both cases and fatalities.
Children under five years aged represented about 75 percent of malaria-related deaths in the African region, highlighting their heightened vulnerability to severe outcomes.
While malaria is preventable and treatable, severe cases can progress rapidly, causing symptoms such as confusion, seizures, and difficulty breathing, particularly in high-risk groups including young children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
The researchers say their model opens the door to testing new treatments and preventive strategies aimed at blocking the parasite’s entry into the brain, potentially reducing the burden of neurological damage caused by cerebral malaria.
