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Wine promotes brain cleansing
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Scientists from the University of Copenhagen claim that moderate consumption of small doses of wine triggers the processes of "cleansing" the brain system.
Similar processes were discovered several years ago: the studies were conducted by the same scientists under the direction of Maiken Nedergaard. The cleansing mechanism was then called the "glymphatic system". This name is due to the fact that the mechanism has much in common with the well-known lymphatic system, but consists of glial cell structures.
The vessels that carry blood to the brain tissue are surrounded by processes of astrocytes - additional, or glial cells. The structure looks like a double tube, and in the space between the membranes a specific liquid accumulates, actively filtering "garbage" substances into the blood vessel.
The main function of the glymphatic system is the removal of biochemical residual substances from brain tissue - a kind of garbage, which are metabolic products, damaged molecules, etc.
New research by scientists was aimed at determining how alcohol consumption affects the functionality of the glymphatic system.
The essence of the experiment was as follows. The experimental rodents were given two alcohol regimens. One group of animals received a relatively small amount of alcohol every day – 0.5 g/kg of body weight, which is equivalent to two glasses of wine for the human body. The second group of rodents received a larger amount – 1.5 g/kg of body weight. There was also a third group whose representatives did not receive alcohol at all.
Large amounts of alcohol had a negative effect on the functioning of the brain, which showed symptoms of an inflammatory reaction involving astrocytes. Astrocytes are auxiliary structural elements of the nervous system that participate in the formation of the glymphatic system. Among other things, the second group of rodents showed a significant impairment of cognitive abilities, and control over movement reproduction became more difficult.
But the rodents from the first group were the luckiest of all: their glymphatic system began to function even better than in animals that were not given alcohol at all. And the mental and motor activity of the mice was at the level of the rodents from the “sober” group.
Another fact should be taken into account. The purification system helps remove proteins from brain tissue that are related to the development of neurodegenerative pathologies (for example, Alzheimer's disease). Therefore, it can be assumed that moderate amounts of alcohol daily can become a preventive measure against degenerative processes in the nervous system. However, at the moment it is too early to give such recommendations. It is necessary to initiate additional experiments, after which to compare the results of the study and statistical data on the clinic of neurodegenerative disorders.
The full text of the study results is presented in the Scientific Reports edition.