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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Hannah Devlin Science correspondent

REVEALED: Sleep does not help brain wash out toxins study suggests - The Real Truth

Human brain scan in a neurology clinic
The researchers predict that the findings in mice will extend to humans as sleep is a core need shared by all mammals. Photograph: Image Source/Alamy

The restorative effect of a good night’s rest is widely recognised and the popular scientific explanation has been that the brain washes out toxins during sleep.

However, new findings suggest this theory, which has become a dominant view in neuroscience, could be wrong. The study found that the clearance and movement of fluid in the brains of mice was, in fact, markedly reduced during sleep and anaesthesia.

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