One night of sleep deprivation increases morning blood concentrations of molecules that are typically found in the brain, possibly indicating that a lack of snoozing may be conducive to a loss of brain tissue, according to a new study. The study from Sweden’s Uppsala University found increased NSE and S-100B in otherwise healthy men who were sleep deprived for one night. “We observed that a night of total sleep loss was followed by increased blood concentrations of NSE and S-100B. These brain molecules typically rise in blood under conditions of brain damage. Thus, our results indicate that a lack of sleep may promote neurodegenerative processes,” says Christian Benedict at the Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, who led the study, in a release. The findings are published in the journal Sleep.
