How the Brain Cleans Itself During Sleep: The Glymphatic System

Brain cross-section showing cerebrospinal fluid flow through glymphatic channels during deep sleep

The glymphatic system pumps cerebrospinal fluid through the brain during deep sleep, clearing amyloid beta and tau proteins linked to Alzheimer’s. One night of sleep deprivation raises amyloid by 5% on PET scan. Here is the full mechanism and what disrupts it.