Jeffrey Iliff, a brain scientist at Oregon Health and Science University, already has completed a similar study in mice and is getting ready to launch one using humans, according to NPR.

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He found in a 2013 study that the brain goes through a cleansing process during deep sleep. The glymphatic system allows the brain to push out toxins, including plaques that can lead to Alzheimer's disease.

"That suggests at least one possible way that disruption in sleep may predispose toward Alzheimer's disease," Iliff told NPR.

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Students in Jeremy Lowe's fourth grade class at Parkside Elementary read "warm-up plays" they wrote on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. Atlanta Public Schools saw significant improvement in fourth grade math and reading scores on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez