Sleep May Prepare You for Tomorrow by Dissolving Today’s Neural Connections

Mull D · 04-06-2009, 01:11 AM

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80...l-connections/

Sleep may be a way to sweep out the brain and get it ready for a new day of building connections between neurons, according to two new studies of fruit flies. The studies support the controversial theory that sleep weakens or entirely dissolves some synapses, the connections between brain cells. “We assume that if this is happening, it is a major function, if not the most important function, of sleep”, says Chiara Cirelli, a coauthor of the first study, published in Science.

Pruning synapses may be a practical necessity to keep the brain from being overwhelmed, says Paul Shaw, coauthor of the second study (also published in Science). “There are a number of reasons why the brain can’t indefinitely add synapses - including the finite spatial constraints of the skull. We were able to track the creation of new synapses in fruit flies during learning experiences - and to show that sleep pushed that number back down”, he says.

In the first study, Cirelli and her colleagues show that proteins found in the synapses build up in fruit fly brains while the flies are awake. Depriving flies of sleep leads to ever-greater levels of synaptic proteins, the researchers show. Levels of the proteins decrease as the flies sleep. The researchers couldn’t directly determine synaptic strength because fruit fly brains are too small to allow them to measure electric activity between neurons; however, they say that measuring the proteins is a valid indirect gauge of synaptic strength.

Meanwhile, Shaw’s lab had previously determined that fruit flies sleep longer following social interactions, rather like a human who has been through a busy day. His team then showed that the brains of socially isolated flies contained fewer synaptic terminals than flies subjected to social enrichment, and that the number of terminals decreased in flies that were allowed to sleep. “I think our data shows the first signs of real structural changes,” he said.

**mothernature** · 04-06-2009, 06:15 AM

This is totally interesting. It makes perfect sense to me.

**SageTree** · 04-06-2009, 10:19 AM

Adds alittle science to if you don't use it you loose it. Nice post.

reverie · 04-07-2009, 03:56 PM

Aha! That explains it!

04-06-2009, 01:11 AM	#1 (permalink)
Mull D Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 4,555 Thanks: 455 Thanked 156 Times in 81 Posts	Sleep May Prepare You for Tomorrow by Dissolving Today’s Neural Connections http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80...l-connections/ Sleep may be a way to sweep out the brain and get it ready for a new day of building connections between neurons, according to two new studies of fruit flies. The studies support the controversial theory that sleep weakens or entirely dissolves some synapses, the connections between brain cells. “We assume that if this is happening, it is a major function, if not the most important function, of sleep”, says Chiara Cirelli, a coauthor of the first study, published in Science. Pruning synapses may be a practical necessity to keep the brain from being overwhelmed, says Paul Shaw, coauthor of the second study (also published in Science). “There are a number of reasons why the brain can’t indefinitely add synapses - including the finite spatial constraints of the skull. We were able to track the creation of new synapses in fruit flies during learning experiences - and to show that sleep pushed that number back down”, he says. In the first study, Cirelli and her colleagues show that proteins found in the synapses build up in fruit fly brains while the flies are awake. Depriving flies of sleep leads to ever-greater levels of synaptic proteins, the researchers show. Levels of the proteins decrease as the flies sleep. The researchers couldn’t directly determine synaptic strength because fruit fly brains are too small to allow them to measure electric activity between neurons; however, they say that measuring the proteins is a valid indirect gauge of synaptic strength. Meanwhile, Shaw’s lab had previously determined that fruit flies sleep longer following social interactions, rather like a human who has been through a busy day. His team then showed that the brains of socially isolated flies contained fewer synaptic terminals than flies subjected to social enrichment, and that the number of terminals decreased in flies that were allowed to sleep. “I think our data shows the first signs of real structural changes,” he said.

04-06-2009, 10:19 AM	#3 (permalink)
SageTree ~Kalyāṇa-mitrā~ Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: In Love Posts: 23,414 Blog Entries: 26 Thanks: 13,070 Thanked 6,767 Times in 4,664 Posts	Adds alittle science to if you don't use it you loose it. Nice post. __________________ "What's oppressive is letting your life be confined by old definitions of what everything is." -Zen Meister my_scatterheart YaHooka is.... Cannabis lovers from around the world pulling up a comfy chair, picking up a vaporizer, a bong, a brownie, a pipe, or a joint, getting high, stoned, buzzed or healthy. Uniting our minds in conversation...While Portraying a Positive Image of marijuana and marijuana users to the world. Treat your fellow YaHookans with kindness,respect and tolerance.

04-07-2009, 03:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
reverie Trapeze Artist Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 1,443 Thanks: 46 Thanked 93 Times in 66 Posts	Aha! That explains it! __________________ "Only a Sith deals in absolutes." -Obi-Wan Kenobi "Where there is cruise there is an escort of anti-cruise. But even in a bastion of anti-cruise fodder... there is cruise" -Levitch Elegies and Reveries to No One. Aka: Poetry and shit.

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04-06-2009, 06:15 AM	#2 (permalink)
mothernature ancientbongmaster Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,232 Thanks: 1,201 Thanked 809 Times in 487 Posts	This is totally interesting. It makes perfect sense to me.

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