TLDR · SCIENCE & FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY

THE BRAIN MAKES A LOT OF WASTE. NOW SCIENTISTS THINK THEY KNOW WHERE IT GOES

npr.org5 min read

Summary from the TLDR newsletter

Two teams of scientists have published three papers that offer a detailed description of the brain's waste-removal system. Their research suggests that during sleep, slow electrical waves push fluid from around cells deep in the brain to its surface, where it is absorbed into the bloodstream through a sophisticated interface. There is growing evidence that the brain's waste-removal system is impaired in Alzheimer's disease - the new findings could help researchers figure out how to restore the system.