A Proper Sleep Helps Clean Brain Toxins, Says New Study
According to a new study published in the journal Science, a good night’s sleep can help in performing a cleaning system that helps in getting rid of harmful toxins from the brain. The group of researchers associated with the new study said that the removal of these toxins helps in preventing the brain against the malfunction or death of nerve cells.
The study authors suggested that people should strive for a good sleep to help maintain the brain’s health and protect it against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. The researchers pointed at the fact that a disturbing sleeping order is found in most Alzheimer’s patients and also the other way around. The group of researchers gathered 11 participants whose sleeping pattern they studied. The study published on Thursday employs some sophisticated new technologies and advanced MRI techniques to monitor their brain function.
The researchers were looking to study the brain waves produced during sleep and the function of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF.) The research team found that the brain during the sleeping phase was being washed by slow waves of cerebrospinal fluid. The researchers found that there was some electrical activity in the brain before every CSF wave. The brain while awake is thus less efficient in carrying this washing process due to increased amyloid.
The study shows how the cerebrospinal fluid flow is inversely related to the blood flow during the sleeping phase which helps in cleaning the brain more efficiently. Laura Lewis, the co-author of the study while talking to All Go News said, “It would make sense that if there are large waves of fluid, of CSF, that that might in turn cause mixing and dispersion with other fluids in the brain and help with this waste removal process.” The promising new research will prove beneficial in further studies based on Alzheimer’s patients.
Martin Samuel is the senior news reporter for All Go News. Samuel covers Healthcare. He was attracted to Journalism from the time of college. He has previously worked for The Times. He thinks we should be dedicated to synthesizing and integrating knowledge for the progress of healthcare and the benefit of society.