Nedergaard and her colleagues first described the previously unknown Glymphatic system in 2012.
This was especially
noticeable in astrocytes, or cells that help to control Glymphatic function.
Sleep is so
important because it is the only time our brain's Glymphatic system is active.
When we sleep, the scientists discovered, the Glymphatic system becomes 10 times more active in clearing waste from the brain.
When you sleep, scientists now think, your Glymphatic system steps up its activity to remove potentially
harmful debris that has collected over your waking day.
A study published last year shows
how sleeplessness can interfere with the brain's"Glymphatic system," which is a cleaning procedure that takes place during sleep,
when cerebrospinal fluid flushes away unnecessary proteins and waste from the spaces between neurons.
(The University of Rochester Medical Center
scientists who made this discovery named it the“Glymphatic system,” because it functions a lot like the body's
lymphatic system in removing waste from the body, and is operated by the brain's glial cells.).
However, the team found that mice that were given"low" doses of alcohol- which, in this study, was the equivalent of consuming around 2.5 alcohol beverages per day-
not only demonstrated a reduction in brain inflammation, but their Glymphatic function was also improved, compared with a control group that
was not exposed to alcohol.