The brain shrinks during sleep

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Johns Hopkins University conducted a detailedół research mózgu, from whichórych shows that synapses grow and become stronger during daily activity. However, when we fall asleep, the exact opposite happens. Synapses shrink by up to 20 percent. Experts assure that this has a positive effect.

Syndromeół scientistów dowiódl thus the validity of the synaptic homeostasis hypothesis, whichóra mówi that the efficiency and size of connections between neurons depends on the state of excitation of the. Scientists spent four years analyzing scans of mózg of mice made using an electron microscope. In this wayób they reconstructed and measured about seven thousand synapses.

During the day, when mózg is more active and subject to memory and learning processes, the connections between neurons are constantly stimulated, which affects their size. But during sleep, when no external stimuli arrive, synapses shrink. Sleep plays a key role in maintaining mózg in good shape and ready to respond to changes. Is preserved in this wayób rówbalance, thanks to whichórej synapses during sleep „rest” and replenish energy reserves.

– Our analysis shows that rówbalance related to the size and strength of synapses is disturbed during wakefulness and is restored during sleep – said Dr. Chiara Cirelli wspóhe author of the study. – It is amazing that synapses located in the cortex mózgowa are subject to such major transformations in just a few hours. Sleep is the ideal time to allow synapses to reorganize – added.