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October 18, 2013, Central News Agency Reporter Huang Zhenzhen
A latest study suggests that after a tiring day, the human brain uses sleep to detoxify. Scientists believe that clearing waste from the brain is the primary reason for sleep.
According to research conducted by the University of Rochester Medical Center on mice, brain cells shrink during sleep, increasing the space between neurons by an average of 60%. At the same time, the volume of cerebrospinal fluid becomes 10 times greater than when the mice are awake, facilitating a "brain-cleaning" process during sleep.
The study, published in the internationally renowned journal *Science*, indicates that incomplete detoxification in the brain, which leaves behind toxic proteins, may contribute to brain diseases.
Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, who led the research, pointed out that the brain has limited energy for its operations and can only choose between two functional states: being awake and aware, or asleep and cleaning.
He gave an analogy: "It’s like hosting a party at home. You can either entertain guests or clean the house, but you can’t do both at the same time."
Nedergaard confirmed that their research shows humans sleep to clean their brains, which also explains why sleep is so crucial.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E7……E% 92% E6% AF% 92- 230637293. html
Study: Brain Detoxifies during Sleep
A latest study suggests that after a tiring day, the human brain uses sleep to detoxify. Scientists believe that clearing waste from the brain is the primary reason for sleep.
According to research conducted by the University of Rochester Medical Center on mice, brain cells shrink during sleep, increasing the space between neurons by an average of 60%. At the same time, the volume of cerebrospinal fluid becomes 10 times greater than when the mice are awake, facilitating a "brain-cleaning" process during sleep.
The study, published in the internationally renowned journal *Science*, indicates that incomplete detoxification in the brain, which leaves behind toxic proteins, may contribute to brain diseases.
Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, who led the research, pointed out that the brain has limited energy for its operations and can only choose between two functional states: being awake and aware, or asleep and cleaning.
He gave an analogy: "It’s like hosting a party at home. You can either entertain guests or clean the house, but you can’t do both at the same time."
Nedergaard confirmed that their research shows humans sleep to clean their brains, which also explains why sleep is so crucial.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E7……E% 92% E6% AF% 92- 230637293. html