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Isn't the latest thought that it's to take the brain down for maintenance to flush out debris from processing done during the day? (citation needed)
by pstuart 9y ago
Isn't the latest thought that it's to take the brain down for maintenance to flush out debris from processing done during the day? (citation needed)
- ringaroundthetx 9y agoits one thought and it answers nothing
- pstuart 9y agohttp://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/10/18/236211811/brains-sweep-themselves-clean-of-toxins-during-sleep http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/10/18/23621181...
- amelius 9y agoBut why didn't our brain evolve to take the debris out while it s working?
- pstuart 9y agoUnqualified anonymous internet answer: it's probably too busy. I believe the brain actually shrinks slightly and channels expand to aid in the flushing. Anectdata: note how when you're really tired you can't think clearly? Also, how (apparently) if one goes without sleep for too long then the brain suffers irreparable damage.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- Khanthulhu 9y agoBut what if we evolved sleep before we evolved brains? Might it then have a different benefit and the brain ones came later?