熬夜后走神不是你的错，而是自救机制在“洗脑” | Nature

Core Insights - A new study from MIT provides scientific evidence that lack of sleep can impair attention due to a physiological mechanism where cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is involved in "cleaning" the brain during sleep, which is disrupted when sleep is insufficient [2][18] Group 1: Research Findings - The study reveals that during moments of attention lapses, a wave of cerebrospinal fluid flows out of the brain, a process typically occurring during sleep to clear waste accumulated during the day [2][18] - Insufficient sleep leads to the activation of this cleaning process during waking hours, resulting in significant attention deficits [18][21] - The research involved 26 healthy volunteers who underwent attention tests under both sufficient and insufficient sleep conditions, showing that sleep-deprived individuals had longer reaction times and sometimes failed to respond altogether [19][21] Group 2: Mechanism of Action - The study indicates that during deep sleep, a synchronized activity of neurons allows for a significant withdrawal of blood, creating space for cerebrospinal fluid to enter and cleanse the brain [15][26] - In contrast, when awake, the active state of neurons prevents this cleaning process, leading to a buildup of waste and forcing the brain to initiate a similar cleaning mechanism while awake, which detracts from attention resources [26][27] - The research suggests that there may be a central switch in the brain that regulates attention and the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, potentially influenced by norepinephrine [29]