Results of the new study, funded by the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the NIH, suggests
that during sleep the brain is cleared of damaging molecules associated with
neurodegeneration. Sleep changes the cellular structure of the brain. It
appears to be a completely different state,” said Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., leader
of the study. Not only is
sleep important for storing memories, it may be also be the period when the
brain cleanses itself of toxic molecules. It appears that during sleep a
plumbing system called the glymphatic system opens, letting fluid flow rapidly
through the brain. Glial cells help control the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a clear liquid
surrounding the brain and spinal cord, through the glymphatic
system by shrinking or swelling. Since this appears to happen only during
sleep, it highlights the critical importance of sleep in clearing the brain of
toxins.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment