Getting enough deep sleep helps the brain clear out waste products that could lead to Alzheimer’s disease. New animal research reveals that one particular sleeping position may also help flush harmful substances out of the brain. (Photo: Stocksy/Maximilian Guy McNair)
Lying on the side is the most common sleep position for humans. Interestingly, it’s also the most common sleepposition for animals in the wild. Fascinating new research from Stony Brook University may explain why: A side-sleeping position seems to improve waste clearance from the brain, which could prevent Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegenerative diseases.
A few years ago, researchers at the University of Rochesterdiscovered that the brain has its own cleansing system, known as the glymphatic system. Similar to the lymphatic system in the body, the glymphatic system flushes waste products out of the brain.
The finding is significant because some of these waste products, specifically amyloid beta and tau proteins, are believed to contribute to Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Knowing that the glymphatic system is most active during sleep, scientists at Stony Brook University wanted to see if sleep position affected how well the system worked. The study, recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience, used dynamic contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to observe the glymphatic pathway of rodents under anesthesia in three different positions: on their sides (lateral position), backs (supine position), and bellies (prone position).
The results: “The rodents who were in the lateral position cleared amyloid beta about 25 percent better than when in the prone or supine position,” lead study author Helene Benveniste, MD, PhD, professor at Stony Brook University, tells Yahoo Health.
No comments:
Post a Comment