NPR

Thirsty? Here's how your brain answers that question

Scientists have shown that the brain uses multiple checkpoints to make sure we get enough water, but not too much
A glass is filled in with water on April 27, 2014 in Paris. Scientists studying what makes us thirsty have found the body checks in on our water consumption in several different ways.

It feels so simple. When we're thirsty, we drink.

But the brain science behind that decision is pretty complicated, a Caltech team reports in the journal Nature.

The study focused on just one checkpoint – near the liver — that the brain relies on to make sure we drink the right amount of water. But there are many other

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min read
Bearing Witness, Celebrating Strength: How Poetry Has Changed Lives For NPR's Audience
From sparking the imagination to helping with mental health, listen to poems read by NPR readers and see how poetry has affected their lives.
NPR3 min readAmerican Government
Who Is Hope Hicks, The Former Trump Adviser Testifying In New York Criminal Trial?
Hope Hicks was a communications director for the Trump White House and prosecutors may question her on her knowledge of the deals made during his first presidential run.
NPR3 min read
Scientists Welcome New Rules On Marijuana, But Research Will Still Face Obstacles
When marijuana becomes a Schedule III instead of a Schedule I substance under federal rules, researchers will face fewer barriers to studying it. But there will still be some roadblocks for science.

Related Books & Audiobooks