Support cells, not neurones, lull the brain to sleep
Sunday, February 1, 2009 - 16:35
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...