In research conducted with American veterans, researchers found that those who slept the least had more symptoms after their injury.
- Sleep alleviates symptoms of head trauma
- It is the role of sleep in clearing waste in the brain that would produce this effect.
A fall, car accident or blow can cause head trauma. In the mildest cases, it causes headaches, dizziness, when severe, this trauma can lead to loss of consciousness or even brain damage. According to new research, sleep may influence symptoms. In Journal of Neurotraumaresearchers from Oregon Health and Science University, USA, explain that poor quality sleep impairs recovery after traumatic brain injury.
Bad nights harmful to brain cleaning
“Sleep is said to play an important role in cleaning waste in the brain after a traumatic brain injury, if you don’t sleep well, you won’t be able to clean your brain properly“, summarizes Juan Piantino, lead author of this research. To reach this conclusion, the professor of neurology and his team observed 56 American veterans. They carried out MRIs to measure the level of enlargement of the perivascular spaces which surround the vessels. blood in the brain. These areas of the brain are part of the glymphatic system, responsible for cleaning the brain. The researchers found that veterans with the poorest quality of sleep were more concerned with the phenomenon of widening of the perivascular spaces, and had more symptoms resulting from their head trauma.
Predict dementia
This method of analysis, based on MRI, could be used in other research, because the widening of the perivascular spaces can be at the origin of dementia. “In the long term, we can imagine that this technique could be used to determine who might be at risk of suffering from cognitive problems, including dementia.“, emphasizes Juan Piantino. The results of the research also serve as a reminder of the importance of good quality sleep on health. The researcher points out that simple things help to sleep better, such as reducing the time spent in front of screens before going to bed.
Frequent head trauma
If the study was carried out with a military population, the researchers point out that it could have implications for the entire population. Every year, head trauma affects thousands of people around the world, but certain factors can increase the risk. The practice of certain sports is one of them: boxing, rugby, football are considered risky physical practices. In 2017, for this reason, British researchers recommended banning tackles for children playing rugby. The following year, the French Rugby Federation banned this gesture for players under the age of 12.
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