Salts in the brain control our sleep-wake cycle

Eureka Alert ^ | 4/29/2016 | University of Copenhagen The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

[molewhacka]

Danish research is behind a new epoch-making discovery, which may prove decisive to future brain research. The level of salts in the brain plays a critical role in whether we are asleep or awake. This discovery may be of great importance to research on psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia and convulsive fits from lack of sleep as well as post-anaesthetization confusion, according to Professor Maiken Nedergaard.

Salts in our brain decide whether we are asleep or awake. For the first time, researchers have shown that the level of salts in our body and brain differ depending on whether we are asleep or awake. A new study from the University of Copenhagen reveals that by influencing the level of salts, it is possible to control a mouse's sleep-wake cycle. The research has just been published in the scientific journal, SCIENCE...

[molewhacka]

The referenced article requires a subscription to Science: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/352/6285/550 ABSTRACT: Wakefulness is driven by the widespread release of neuromodulators by the ascending arousal system. Yet, it is unclear how these substances orchestrate state-dependent, global changes in neuronal activity. Here, we show that neuromodulators induce increases in the extracellular K+ concentration ([K+]e) in cortical slices electrically silenced by tetrodotoxin. In vivo, arousal was linked to AMPA receptor–independent elevations of [K+]e concomitant with decreases in [Ca2+]e, [Mg2+]e, [H+]e, and the extracellular volume. Opposite, natural sleep and anesthesia reduced [K+]e while increasing [Ca2+]e, [Mg2+]e, and [H+]e as well as the extracellular volume. Local cortical activity of sleeping mice could be readily converted to the stereotypical electroencephalography pattern of wakefulness by simply imposing a change in the extracellular ion composition. Thus, extracellular ions control the state-dependent patterns of neural activity.

[Larry Lucido]

AMPA receptor–independent elevations of [K+]e concomitant with decreases in [Ca2+]e, [Mg2+]e, [H+]e, and the extracellular volume.

I was just saying that the other day.

[mountn man]

Salts in our brain decide whether we are asleep or awake.

For the first time, researchers have shown that the level of salts in our body and brain differ depending on whether we are asleep or awake.

Correlation is not causation.

[chajin]

Opposite, natural sleep and anesthesia reduced [K+]e while increasing [Ca2+]e, [Mg2+]e, and [H+]e as well as the extracellular volume.

Does this mean in laymen's terms that if you take a Calcium/Magnesium supplement that could somehow ensure that the elements would be better absorbed in the brain, you would be more likely to sleep well?

[Robert DeLong]

So does salt make you sleep or keep you awake?

[Stormy_2021]

Woohoo..!

This means I can have a giant, hot, soft pretzel before bedtime every night..!

[pieceofthepuzzle]

“Salts in our brain decide whether we are asleep or awake.”

That’s because it’s hard to eat potato chips when you are asleep.

[molewhacka]

What a coincidence! Me, too! Only I was talking about intracellular volume...

[bert]

high blood sugar has an effect on my sleep. About 3:00 something changes and I wake up but it is not salt

[Moonman62]

Or a glass of warm milk maybe.

[Larry Lucido]

I found that headphones are good way to control intracellular volume.

[molewhacka]

I’m feeling like a nap after downing those 3 bags of chips, 5 cans salted nuts, and gargling with saltwater, so more salt must mean...zzzzzz...

[molewhacka]

There you go bringing logic into a scientific debate. You will never score a cushy grant with that kind of thinking.

[djf]

I know it sounds odd, because it is a breakfast food.

But two or three sunny side eggs always knock me out pretty good!

Might be the tryptophan...

[molewhacka]

I generally use a shovel to control intracellar volume, but we won’t talk about that...

[molewhacka]

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-04-subtle-chemical-brain-sleep-wake.html

...The new study reveals that our sleep-wake state appears to be dependent upon the concentration and balance of ions in the CSF. In fact, by altering the concentrations of potassium, calcium, magnesium, and proton ions found in the fluid, the researchers observed that they could manipulate the sleep-wake state of mice in the absence of neurotransmitters. Potassium in particular appears to play a key role as the levels of the ion fluctuate rapidly during sleep-wake transitions...

[molewhacka]

“...While these shifts in ion concentration outside of brain cells had been known to occur, these changes had always been regarded as a consequence rather than one of the causes of the sleep-wake cycle, as the new study suggests.

“The fact that a simple alteration of extracellular ion composition can wake a sleeping animal up and put a wake animal to sleep is direct evidence for that this mechanism plays a key role in regulating consciousness,” said Nedergaard...”

[mountn man]

Must be the Emerald nuts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMMDSEX_sNo

[EEGator]

I take ZMA in the evening.
It helps athletes recover and sleep better.

I am of the understanding that Calcium can interfere with Magnesium absorption.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

So does salt make you sleep or keep you awake?

There are a lot of other "salts" besides table salt (NaCl)