Support cells, not neurons, lull the brain to sleep
Wednesday, January 28, 2009 - 14:35
in Biology & Nature
Brain cells called astrocytes help to cause the urge to sleep that comes with prolonged wakefulness, according to a study in mice, funded by the National Institutes of Health. The cells release adenosine, a chemical known to have sleep-inducing effects that are inhibited by caffeine.
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