Sleep pressure modulates single-neuron synapse number in zebrafish. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38693264/)

These scientists studied why animals need to sleep. They looked at the brains of baby fish called zebrafish to see what happens to the connections between brain cells, called synapses, when the fish are awake or asleep. They found that when the fish are awake, they gain more synapses, but when they sleep, they lose some synapses. This process helps keep the brain healthy and working properly.

The scientists also discovered that the fish lose more synapses when they have been awake for a long time and really need to sleep. They found that certain chemicals in the brain, like adenosine and noradrenaline, play a role in this process.

Overall, the study showed that sleep is important for the brain to get rid of unnecessary connections and stay in good shape. It also showed that not all sleep is the same, and the brain needs different types of sleep to do its job properly.

Suppermpool A., Lyons DG., Broom E., Rihel J. Sleep pressure modulates single-neuron synapse number in zebrafish. Nature. 2024 May;629(8012):639-645. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07367-3. Epub 2024 May 1.