Sleep drives metabolite clearance from the adult brain

L Xie, H Kang, Q Xu, MJ Chen, Y Liao, M Thiyagarajan… - science, 2013 - science.org
L Xie, H Kang, Q Xu, MJ Chen, Y Liao, M Thiyagarajan, J O'Donnell, DJ Christensen…
science, 2013science.org
The conservation of sleep across all animal species suggests that sleep serves a vital
function. We here report that sleep has a critical function in ensuring metabolic homeostasis.
Using real-time assessments of tetramethylammonium diffusion and two-photon imaging in
live mice, we show that natural sleep or anesthesia are associated with a 60% increase in
the interstitial space, resulting in a striking increase in convective exchange of cerebrospinal
fluid with interstitial fluid. In turn, convective fluxes of interstitial fluid increased the rate of β …
The conservation of sleep across all animal species suggests that sleep serves a vital function. We here report that sleep has a critical function in ensuring metabolic homeostasis. Using real-time assessments of tetramethylammonium diffusion and two-photon imaging in live mice, we show that natural sleep or anesthesia are associated with a 60% increase in the interstitial space, resulting in a striking increase in convective exchange of cerebrospinal fluid with interstitial fluid. In turn, convective fluxes of interstitial fluid increased the rate of β-amyloid clearance during sleep. Thus, the restorative function of sleep may be a consequence of the enhanced removal of potentially neurotoxic waste products that accumulate in the awake central nervous system.
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