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In a groundbreaking study conducted by Northwestern University, neurobiologists discovered that: Even one night of acute sleep deprivation can quickly reverse depression that has lasted for several days.. This study was published in an online journal on November 2, 2023. neuronsuggests that acute sleep deprivation increases dopamine release, increases synaptic plasticity, and essentially rewires the brain.
“Researchers have found that staying up all night has about the same effect on the brain as taking the anesthetic ketamine,” they report. reciprocal.
While the detrimental effects of chronic sleep deprivation are well known, the positive effects of short-term sleep deprivation are less understood. “We found that sleep deprivation causes powerful antidepressant effects and rewires the brain. This means that our casual activities, like a sleepless night, can fundamentally rewire the brain in just a few hours. It is an important reminder that change is possible,” said Evgenia Kozorovitsky. She is an associate professor of neurobiology and corresponding author of the study.
To investigate the effects of staying up all night, the researchers induced mild sleep deprivation in mice and observed their behavior and brain activity. The results show that not only is the release of dopamine (a neurotransmitter associated with the brain’s reward system) increased during periods of sleep deprivation, but synaptic plasticity is also enhanced, sustaining a high mood for the next few days. it was done. “Researchers found that after a sleepless night, the animals’ behavior was more aggressive, hyperactive, and hypersexual compared to control animals that experienced a typical night’s sleep. “We found that it had shifted to .” gene edge.
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“What surprised me most was how powerful its antidepressant effects were.” Evgenia Kozorovitskysaid the study’s lead author, a professor of neurobiology at Northwestern University. reciprocal.It was so powerful that it resembled the one in her lab Previous data About the antidepressant effects of ketamine. “Basically, it looks like it’s as good as any drug that’s currently being touted. We saw essentially the same effect size.”
Kozolovitzky suggests this effect is an evolutionary adaptation that could be useful in situations that require intense vigilance over short periods of time, such as when confronting predators. However, they caution against using sleep deprivation as an antidepressant strategy because sleep deprivation is temporary and good sleep is important for overall health.