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/chessmasterjj 13d ago edited 13d ago

How do we clean out our brain of waste? 

Edit: Just says they boosted the lymphatic system of the mice, doesn't say how. If you give "strengthen lymphatic system" a Goog you get physical exercise, hydration and healthy diet. 

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u/Potential_Being_7226 PhD | Psychology | Neuroscience 13d ago

Adequate sleep and exercise are two good ways to improve lymphatic drainage.

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u/Victuz 13d ago

I'm a parent of small children, I've not had a proper night's sleep in 2 years and it's actually amazing/terrifying just how utterly fucked my memory is. I can scarcely remember films/books I've enjoyed and struggle with placing events on a timeline of recent events. I sure hope that this will get better as the kids get older because otherwise I'm proper fucked.

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u/LittleBroController 13d ago

Not sure if that is just sleep, for me at least imI feel like a lot of these „symptoms“ come from never having an extended period of calm where you can sort things out in your head.