Quality sleep promotes the brain to eliminate waste

One of the leading theories about Alzheimer's disease is the toxic buildup of beta-amyloid and tau proteins in the brain - Photo: SciTechDaily

One of the leading theories about Alzheimer's disease is that toxic accumulation of beta-amyloid and tau proteins in the brain can cause many of the symptoms associated with the condition.

The brain's 'waste removal' system

“Alzheimer’s and some other progressive brain diseases—such as Parkinson’s—are caused by abnormal protein buildup in the brain,” says Juan Piantino, MD, professor of pediatrics in the School of Medicine’s department of neurology and a member of the Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute at Oregon Health and Science University.

“The removal of these proteins is crucial for brain health, but the process is not well understood. If we can improve the brain's ability to remove these proteins, we may be able to change the progression of these diseases,” he suggests.

Piantino is the lead author of a new study that shows for the first time how the brain's glymphatic system clears these proteins, highlighting the importance of measures like quality sleep to keep the waste-removal system working efficiently.

In research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , the "waste removal" system has been observed in the human brain for the first time.

Quality sleep is essential for brain health

Previous research has shown that proper sleep can have a positive impact on the brain's glymphatic system and its ability to clear waste. Piantino and his team believe their findings further emphasize the importance of quality sleep in ensuring the brain's glymphatic system functions properly.

“Waste elimination occurs primarily at night while we sleep, just like we wash dishes at night,” Piantino says. “Improving sleep may be an important way to improve waste elimination. Additionally, some medications that may improve waste elimination are being studied.”

“We are testing ways to enhance waste removal without drugs,” he added. “We want to know how sleep might affect waste removal.”

One hope is that a better understanding of the brain's "waste disposal" system could eventually lead to strategies to prevent Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. However, not everyone is entirely convinced by this prospect.

After reviewing the current study, Clifford Segil, a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in California who was not involved in the study, said that because the study participants had all had brain tumors surgically removed before the MRI scans, they may have had a different glymphatic system than healthy people.

“I would like to see similar studies done in patients with central nervous system infections and patients with brain metastases, people with cancers in other parts of the body that have spread to the brain, and eventually some healthy people,” he said.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/giac-ngu-chat-luong-thuc-day-nao-bo-tu-loai-bo-chat-thai-20241016143637271.htm