Wednesday, August 10, 2022

More Glymphatic Chores

It sometimes amazes me that even with all the brain research in the past couple of decades, scientists are still finding out new things , amazing things, about the human brain. In addition to eliminating waste products in the brain, the glymphatic system also facilitates brain-wide distribution of several compounds, including glucose, lipids, amino acids, growth factors, and neuromodulators. Interestingly, researchers discovered that the glymphatic system functions mainly during sleep. In effect, it seems to go “off line” and is largely disengaged during wakefulness. The biological need for sleep across all species may therefore reflect that the brain must enter a state of activity that enables elimination of potentially neurotoxic waste products, including beta-amyloid. It’s been known for years that parts of the brain are much busier during sleep than when the brain is awake. 

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