Every day your brain is busy with hard work: processing information coming from the senses, memorization / recall processes, regulation of emotions, interpretation and integration of the received data, coordination of movements and control of all processes occurring in the body.
Actively working brain cells, like other cells of the body, in the process of activity emit by-products. Until recently, the process of cleansing the brain from the waste products of cells remained a mystery. Estet-portal.com will tell you what the glymphatic system is, what role it plays in brain health, and what we can do to improve its functioning.
The Glymphatic System: Beneficial Brainwashing
Our body is equipped with a self-purification system – the lymphatic system, which removes dead blood cells and other waste products through the lymphatic system. However, the brain uses a different method of purification. Blood-brain barrier – natural barrier that separates the brain from the rest of the body.
Such a barrier is like a checkpoint through which only certain molecules that have a "pass" pass. That is why unfiltered blood does not enter the brain, respectively, it is protected from viruses, bacteria and other pathogens.
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Thus, the brain is isolated from potential dangers, but at the same time it is protected from the lymphatic system. How does he manage to keep clean?
In 2012, Dr. Jeffrey Iliff and Macken Nedergaard of the University of Rochester were lucky enough to open the "sewer system" brain, thanks to which its tissues are cleared of waste, – glymphatic system.
The blood vessels of the brain are surrounded by processes of astrocytes – glial cells that envelop the vessel, creating additional space. It is into it that the "clogged" interstitial fluid that filters waste into the blood vessel.
The glymphatic system uses the cells' mitochondria to remove cellular waste from the brain. The clear cerebrospinal fluid is responsible for "washing out" brain toxins. The principle of its work is similar to the lymphatic system.
In 2015, meningeal lymphatic vessels were discovered in the brain, which, together with arteries, veins and nerves, exit the skull, i.e. the brain is still connected to the immune system through the cervical lymph nodes. Therefore, the glymphatic system is not the only "salvation"; brain from toxins.
What causes disorders in the glymphatic system?
Specialists believe that malfunctions in the glymphatic system may be the cause of Alzheimer's disease and other brain disorders caused by the accumulation of toxic waste in the brain. In particular, many scientists believe that Alzheimer's – the result of the brain's inability to eliminate toxic tau proteins.
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The fact is that Alzheimer's patients have a large amount of a protein called beta amyloid, which leads to damage to nerve cells. Studies have shown that a healthy glymphatic system does an excellent job of removing beta amyloid, in contrast to a dysfunctional glymphatic system.
Researchers hope that the results of the study can be used in the treatment of many diseases that affect the brain – Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, strokes and brain injuries.
Increased activity of the glymphatic system may prevent accumulation of amyloid or other triggers of brain disease.
What can be done to increase the activity of the glymphatic system?
Is there any way to improve the functioning of the glymphatic system so that it is easier for the brain to remove toxic substances? There are several ways to do this and improve the functioning of the brain, reduce the risk of dementia due to the accumulation of toxins in the brain tissue.
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Ways to improve the functioning of the glymphatic system of the brain
- The most important – dream. The fact is that during sleep, the brain is busy not only structuring data, forming memories and regulating the functioning of the body. In 2013, Dr. Iliff and Nedergaard found that the glymphatic system works twice as fast during sleep as it does during wakefulness. It is with this fact that the authors of the study explain the restorative effect of sleep and the detrimental effect of lack of sleep on the brain.
- Sleep posture. In 2015, a study found that even sleeping posture affects the functioning of the glymphatic system. So, it was found that the glymphatic system works most effectively during sleep on the side. The least effective work was observed in the sleeping position on the stomach.
Thus, in order to improve the functions of the self-cleansing system of the brain, it is necessary to take care of healthy sleep: proper nutrition, relaxation techniques (meditation, yoga), fresh air, enough water and physical activity – the key to health, including the glymphatic system.
And remember that exercise is the best way to get your lymphatic system working properly!
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