When it comes to the immune system of newborns, popular belief holds that their immune cells are weak, making them more prone to infection. But a new study from Cornell University in New York, NY, suggests that an infant’s immune system is actually stronger than that of adults; it just has a short memory.

The research team, led by Brian Rudd of Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, recently published their findings in the Journal of Immunology.

The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues and organs that protect against pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses.

It is well known that in the first few months of an infant’s life, their immune system is unable to stave off infection as effectively as an adult immune system. But the reasons behind this are not fully understood.

The strength of an individual’s immune system depends on the formation of “memory T cells,” according to the Cornell team. These T cells remember pathogens they have previously encountered so that the next time they enter the body, they can respond to them quickly and effectively.

Adults create a large number of memory T cells during infection. Approximately 10% of these settle in a “long-lived memory pool,” ready to fight the next time a pathogen enters the body.