r/science • u/Potential_Being_7226 PhD | Psychology | Neuroscience • 13d ago

Neuroscience Boosting brain’s waste removal system improves memory in old mice | Researchers found that rejuvenating the lymphatic vessels in the brain enhanced recognition memory and restored synaptic function through an interleukin-6 (IL-6) pathway.

https://medicine.washu.edu/news/boosting-brains-waste-removal-system-improves-memory-in-old-mice/
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u/___Snoobler___ 13d ago

Why can't they put the effects of exercise and sleep into a pill, patch, or suppository? In all seriousness that'd be pretty great.

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u/shellofbiomatter 13d ago

Id just take the sleeping pill, i like to exercise and wouldn't want to lose that, but really don't like sleeping.

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u/[deleted] 13d ago

How does doing exercise not make you tired? When I do a workout I can’t fight the exhaustion when 9pm hits and I’m in bed and sleep like a rock until the sun comes out.

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u/xycor 13d ago

When you feel sluggish and tired that is a warning sign your body needs exercise. I say this as someone who avoided exercise entirely until my mid-30s. The exhaustion is also a feature. It probably helps one sleep which is when the waste is being flushed from the brain by the lymphatic system. Also, other studies have shown sleeping pills can shut down the nightly waves that drive the cleaning.