It is always advised to drink water. But recent studies have shown that there may be a limit as to how much. Overconsumption of water causes a decrease in sodium levels and fluid accumulates excessively in the brain, which leads to its swelling. This life-threatening condition, termed as Hyponatremia, is more commonly prevalent among the elderly.

Hyponatremia occurs in conditions such as sepsis, cardiac failure, brain injury and consumption of psychoactive drugs (MDMA (ecstasy)).

Researchers reported that the brain cannot sense overhydration in the same way as dehydration. Overhydration is identified by the Trpv4 channel, which releases the amino acid named taurine that would further inhibit the hydration sensing neurons.

Charles Bourque from the McGill University in Canada said, “Our study shows that it is, in fact, glial cells that first detect the overhydrated state and then transfer this information to turn off the electrical activity of the [hydration sensing] neurons; our specific data will be important for people studying hydromineral and fluid-electrolyte homeostasis, and clinicians who treat patients faced with hyponatremia.”

Bourque further added, “Preclinical models of hyponatremia will be used to examine if the mechanism we report is affected in this condition with the long-term objective of designing new treatments or diagnostic tools.”