Scientists discover the brain has a fast lane and slow lane for clearing waste
AI has helped scientists measure the brain’s hidden cleaning system, revealing that fluid moves rapidly around its outer spaces but about 50 times more slowly through deep tissue. The discovery could eventually help researchers detect circulation problems linked to Alzheimer’s, aging, and concussions.
Scientists have uncovered that the brain possesses two distinct pathways for waste clearance: a swift and a sluggish route. During deep sleep, cerebrospinal fluid, akin to water, circulates around the brain, aiding in the removal of metabolic waste linked to ailments like Alzheimer's. This process, termed the glymphatic system, was initially elucidated in 2012 by neuroscientist Maiken Nedergaard.
However, the speed at which this fluid navigates the brain remains an enigma, particularly challenging to observe without causing harm to the brain's tissue. To resolve this, researchers from the University of Rochester, Brown University, and the University of Copenhagen employed artificial intelligence. Their study, published in Science Advances, revealed that the glymphatic system employs two primary waste-removal methods, dissimilar in velocity.
Near the brain's surface in open areas, the fluid moves at a rate of a few microns per second, whereas within the brain tissue, the flow is significantly slower, about 50 times less. The team plans to examine these circulation patterns across various brain conditions, including healthy, diseased, and aging brains. The eventual aim is to apply this method to humans, which could pave the way for novel methods of studying neurological diseases and brain injuries.
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