FRENCH

scientists have discovered why work leaves you exhausted. A study found that after periods of prolonged concentration, a toxic compound builds up in the brain. Glutamate, also found in milk and cheese, collects in the brain’s frontal regions, triggering signals that induce tiredness.

In a study, published in the journal Current Biology, 20 volunteers were given easy tasks and 20 received challenging ones. Those in the latter group developed high levels of glutamate in the prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain responsible for concentration.