Sleep boosts brain cell numbers
In contrast‚ the genes involved in cell death and stress
responses were turned on when the mice were forced to
stay awake.
they have discovered
a new reason why we
need to sleep it replenishes
a type of brain cell.
Dr Chiara Cirelli and
colleagues from the
University of Wisconsin
found that the production
rate of the myelin making
cells‚ immature
oligodendrocytes‚ doubled
as mice slept.
The increase was most marked during the type of sleep that is associated with
dreaming - REM or rapid eye movement sleep - and was driven by genes.
In contrast‚ the genes involved in cell death and stress responses were turned on when the
mice were forced to stay awake.
Dr Cirelli said that for a long time‚ sleep researchers focused on how the activity of nerve
cells differs when animals are awake versus when they are asleep.
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