The brain will destroy itself if the body lacks regular sleep

Researchers have found that constant sleep deprivation will cause the brain to self-remove a significant number of neurons and synapses, although it may not work at all.

Sleep is not simply about recovering energy after every 12 hours. Did you know, our brains completely change the state when we take a break to erase the toxic byproducts of nerve activity left over after a long day?

Lack of continuous sleep for a long time has more serious consequences than we think.

The strange thing is that the same process begins to happen to the brains if we suffer from chronic sleep deprivation. Researchers have found that chronic sleep deprivation will cause the brain to release a significant amount of neurons and synapses , even if it is not compensated for by sleep.

A research team led by neurologist Michele Bellesi of Marche Polytechnic University in Italy examined mammalian brain responses to low sleeping habits and found strange similarities among the animals. mice get plenty of rest and those who do not sleep.

Like other cells in the body, nerve cells in the brain are continually refreshed by two other types of neuronal cells commonly called neurotransmitters.

Micro cells are responsible for removing old and worn cells through a process called phagocytosis - meaning "swallowing" in Greek.

Astrocytes play a role in clearing unnecessary synapses (connections) in the brain to renew and change the shape of nerves.

The work of stellar cells is to wipe out excess synapses.

As we know, this process occurs during sleep to eliminate nerve wear during the day, but this study shows that it seems that the same thing happens when we lose sleep.

But instead of a beneficial process, the brain conducts 'cleanup' too much and starts to harm itself.

To illustrate in an easy-to-understand way, the nights you get enough sleep, the garbage in your house will be cleaned up. On the contrary, during sleepless nights, someone will come into the house and throw away all TVs, refrigerators, and even your puppy.

Bellesi told Andy Coghlan at New Scientist: "This is the first time we have shown that the part of the synapse is' eaten 'by astrocytes caused by insomnia .'

To find out, the researchers photographed the brains of four groups of mice:

1. Group 1: sleep for 6-8 hours (good rest)
2. Group 2: periodically awakened while sleeping (spontaneous awakening)
3. Group 3: stay up for 8 hours (lack of sleep)
4. Group 4: stay awake for 5 consecutive days (lack of regular sleep)

When the researchers compared the activity of astrocytes on all four groups, they identified it in 5.7% of synapses in healthy mouse brains, and 7.3% in the brain. spontaneous awakening mouse.

In mice that lack sleep or lack of regular sleep, they notice something different: astrocytes increase their activity and actually 'eat' part of the synapse, similar to the Microcells destroy excess cells - a process called astrocytic phagocytosis.

In the sleep-deprived rat brain, astrocytes act on 8.4% of synapses, and in severe sleep deprived mice, 13.5% of their synapses show cell activity. star.

Bellesi told New Scientist that most synapses being destroyed in two sleep-deprived mice were the largest, oldest and most used cells - "just like old furniture". Removing them sometimes is a good thing.

But when the team examined the activity of micro cells on all four groups, they found that they also increased in the group with frequent sleep deprivation. That's a concern, because unrelated micro-activities are now linked to brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and other forms of neurodegeneration.

Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases are increasing significantly.

According to the group's report, the corrosion of stellar cells, mainly pre-curing elements in large synapses, occurs only when the brain is severely and often insomnia. This does not happen if spontaneous wake up, it can still promote the maintenance and regeneration of worn-out components of many synapses used.

In contrast, only chronic insomnia activates microbial cells and promotes their erosive activity . suggesting that prolonged sleeplessness is the cause and may lead to other injuries. .

Many questions are still being asked, such as whether this process can replicate in the human brain, and whether a timely sleep can minimize damage?

But the fact is that the number of deaths from Alzheimer's has increased dramatically - 50% since 1999. So what's important now is that every person needs to try to have a good night's sleep.