The sleep/mood connection studied - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS

The sleep/mood connection studied

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Doctors are trying to answer the question: What came first, depression or a lack of sleep?

A study in rats shows after one week of getting four hours of sleep a day -- they had reduced function in parts of the brain that regulate mood. After a month of restricted sleep, their brains were making fewer cells.

Experts say their study proves the important role sleep plays in regulating our emotions.

-Study led by researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and presented at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology annual meeting.

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