Researchers claim that sleep detoxes the brain

Conclusion This fascinating research has suggested that sleep helps potentially toxic substances to be removed from the brain. How sleep restores us and helps our brains to function is reported to not be well understood. Although this research was in mice rather than humans, despite the difference in size, this type of basic biological function is seems to be very similar to what happens in all vertebrate animal species. Further research in humans will help to confirm this. As yet, whether there could be a link between changes in this normal function in the removal of amyloid beta or other potentially damaging substances and brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease is not known. Undoubtedly this is an avenue of research that researchers will consider worth exploring. Overall, this study provides fresh insights into the purpose of sleep. It will be interesting to see if the results can be replicated by other researchers, and in humans. Sleep is essential to our health, and it seems likely that there will be multiple reasons why this is the case, rather than a single answer. Analysis by Bazian. Edited by NHS Choices. Follow Behind the Headlines on Twitter.   Links To The Headlines Why do we sleep? To clean our brains, say US scientists. The Guardian, October 18 2013 Sleep 'cleans' the brain of toxins. BBC News, October 17 2013 How sleep clears the brain of toxins. The Daily Telegraph, October 18 2013 Sleep 'cleans' the brain by flushing out toxins. The Independent, Oc...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Lifestyle/exercise Neurology Source Type: news