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A part of the brain may be controlling when sleep-deprived people "zone out," according to researchers at MIT.
The study, published in the journal eLife, indicates that the thalamic reticular nucleus regulates parts of the brain to help it communicate better, but also induces sleep to other areas when the brain is drowsy.
"I'm inclined to think that happens because the brain begins to transition into sleep, and some local brain regions become drowsy even if you force yourself to stay awake," Laura Lewis, a lead author of the study, said in a release.
Researchers believe that the brain circuit may also help the brain consolidate new memories by coordinating wave movement, according to MIT.
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