Friday, October 18, 2013

Sleep and Alzheimer's

According to an article from NPR's Shots, "While the brain sleeps, it clears out harmful toxins, a process that may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, researchers say." Apparently, researchers noticed that while laboratory mice sleep, their cerebrospinal fluid actually washes out harmful waste from their brains. "...one of the waste products removed from the brain during sleep is beta amyloid, the substance that forms sticky plaques associated with [Alzheimer's]."

To read the Shots article, please visit: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/10/17/236211811/brains-sweep-themselves-clean-of-toxins-during-sleep?utm_

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