Discover Top Posts Tagged with #glymphatic system

Brain drowns in its own fluid after a stroke

Following a stroke, dysfunction in the glymphatic system causes cerebrospinal fluid to flood the brain, drowning neurons, and triggering cerebral edema.

#glymphatic system #stroke #neurology #health #medicine #neuroscience #science #cerebral edema

The Glymphatic System – A Beginner's Guide

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 β-amyloid.

#sleep #sleep research #glymphatic system #Neurodegenerative diseases #aging

Glymphatic system

Being awake takes it toll on the body. Many chemical reactions are firing all day to ensure movement, organ function, thinking and emotions. These reactions occur all over the body and produce large amounts of metabolic waste that can start to slow reactions and reduce functional efficiency.

The Lymphatic system is responsible for metabolic waste removal around the body, however, not for the brain. The brain’s blood-barrier which protects it from outside containments and makes it difficult to develop drugs that directly interact with the brain prevents the Lymphatic system cleaning up.

The brain has its own cleaning system which is the Glymphatic system. The Glymphatic system not only removes the metabolic waste of the days functioning but also is responsible for the distribution for compounds such as glucose, lipids, amino acids, growth factors, and neuromodulators.

This process is extremely important in maintaining proper brain functioning, and the system is most active during sleep. It has been shown that the Glymphatic system is most activated during sleep During sleep the Glymphatic system becomes 10 times more active. Brain cells reduce in size by about 60% to make waste removal more efficient.

The functioning of the glymphatic system explains findings such as after 24 hours of wakefulness, glucose distribution in the rain reduces by 6%. This can then lead to high energy foods to support the brain cravings. Studies that have an experimental group who have been exposed to sleep deprivation take up to 14% longer on certain tasks and make 20% more mistakes.

Sleep is important in more ways than one but ensuring efficient activation of the glymphatic system is chief amongst them.

References

Jessen, N. A., Munk, A. S. F., Lundgaard, I., & Nedergaard, M. (2015). The Glymphatic System – A Beginner’s Guide. Neurochemical Research, 40(12), 2583–2599. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-015-1581-6

#Glymphatic system #Psychologist Townsville #@psychology #Andrew Pangrazio

Low Levels of Alcohol May Be Good For the Brain

The finding adds to a growing body of research that point to the health benefits of low doses of alcohol. While excessive consumption of alcohol is a well-documented health hazard, many studies have linked lower levels of drinking with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases as well as a number of cancers.

The research is in Scientific Reports. (full open access)

#alcohol #brain health #glymphatic system #neuroscience #science