Yawning Does Something Surprising in Your Brain, MRI Scans Reveal
ScienceAlert • • health
Key Points:
- A study by the University of New South Wales found that yawning causes cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to flow away from the brain, a surprising effect not seen with deep breathing.
- Both yawning and deep breaths increase blood flow leaving the brain, allowing more fresh blood to enter, but only yawns alter CSF flow direction.
- Participants showed unique, consistent yawning patterns, suggesting yawning is controlled by an innate neurological mechanism rather than learned behavior.
- Researchers propose yawning may help clean the brain or regulate brain temperature, though the exact purpose of this CSF movement remains unclear.
- The study highlights yawning as a complex, adaptive behavior potentially important for central nervous system health, warranting further investigation
