Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicholas R. Fragola, Brittany M. Brems, Munmun Mukherjee, Meng Cui, Raymond G. Booth
Summary: Many important physiological processes are mediated by alpha2A- and alpha2C-adrenergic receptors, but the signaling mechanisms are poorly understood and there are few medications targeting these receptors. The complex and poorly understood nature of alpha 2R signaling, along with the high degree of binding pocket homology, makes drug discovery aimed at alpha 2Rs challenging. However, a novel 5-SAT chemotype has shown diverse pharmacological activities, acting as partial agonists at alpha 2ARs and inverse agonists at alpha 2CRs.
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Bibi A. Sulaman, Su Wang, Jean Tyan, Ada Eban-Rothschild
Summary: In recent years, technological advances have provided a detailed understanding of the functions of different neuronal populations and circuits in sleep-wake regulation. This article summarizes recent progress in the study of the circuitry underlying the initiation, maintenance, and coordination of different sleep states. It proposes a de-arousal model for sleep initiation and discusses how brain processes related to thermoregulation, hunger, and fear intersect with sleep-wake circuits.
NATURE NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Naihua N. Gong, Hang Ngoc Bao Luong, An H. Dang, Benjamin Mainwaring, Emily Shields, Karl Schmeckpeper, Roberto Bonasio, Matthew S. Kayser
Summary: The study reveals that the transcriptional states of sleep output neurons play a crucial role in the changes in sleep across the lifespan in fruit flies.
Article
Neurosciences
Damien Dupont, Jian-Sheng Lin, Francois Peyron, Hideo Akaoka, Martine Wallon
Summary: The study demonstrated that Toxoplasma gondii infection can lead to chronic alterations in sleep-wake states in mice, characterized by increased time spent awake, increased cortical EEG theta power density, and decreased slow-wave sleep. These effects can be alleviated by anti-inflammatory treatment with corticosteroid dexamethasone, shedding light on the neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders reported in infected patients.
CNS NEUROSCIENCE & THERAPEUTICS
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yo Oishi, Yuki C. Saito, Takeshi Sakurai
Summary: Benzodiazepine enhances the activity of GABAA receptors and is commonly used to treat insomnia, highlighting the importance of GABAergic neurotransmission in sleep. Recent research, including the review discussed here, focuses on the involvement of GABAergic neurons in the regulation of sleep-wake cycles, specifically in the preoptic area (POA) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). This emphasizes the significance of GABAergic neurotransmission in these regions for the regulation of sleep-wake cycles.
PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xin Xiong, Yuyan Ren, Shenghan Gao, Jianhua Luo, Jiangli Liao, Chunwu Wang, Sanli Yi, Ruixiang Liu, Yan Xiang, Jianfeng He
Summary: The study found that OSA patients exhibit abnormal microstates during obstructive hypopnea, which is related to changes in the wakefulness EEG and may be associated with alterations in cortical alpha activity.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Richard Teke Ngomba, Annika Luettjohann, Aaron Dexter, Swagat Ray, Gilles van Luijtelaar
Summary: Sleep is a complex behavior found in all animals, but our understanding of the neural circuits regulating sleep and wakefulness is limited. This review focuses on the role of mGlu5 receptors in the thalamocortical circuitry during normal and pathological sleep states. It also explores the potential of targeting mGlu5 receptors as a therapeutic approach for sleep disorders associated with epileptic seizures.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Mohammad Shahbakhti, Matin Beiramvand, Tomas Eigirdas, Jordi Sole-Casals, Michal Wierzchon, Anna Broniec-Wojcik, Piotr Augustyniak, Vaidotas Marozas
Summary: This study validates a reliable nonlinear feature set for discriminating wakefulness from sleep stage I. Experimental results on four public databases show that the proposed feature set outperforms relative band power analysis in distinguishing sleep stage I.
IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Joel S. Raymond, Nicholas A. Everett, Anand Gururajan, Michael T. Bowen
Summary: The study examined the effects of oxytocin on sleep-wake behavior and found that intraperitoneal administration of oxytocin promoted quiet wakefulness and suppressed active wakefulness, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The sleep-wake effects of oxytocin were mediated by oxytocin receptor binding. In contrast, intranasal administration of oxytocin did not affect sleep-wake outcomes.
Article
Clinical Neurology
My Forsberg, Martin Olsson, Henrik Seth, Pontus Wasling, Henrik Zetterberg, Jan Hedner, Eric Hanse
Summary: Research on cerebrospinal fluid indicates that both sleep and sleep deprivation lead to a decrease in interstitial potassium concentration in the brain, affecting neuronal excitability. The results support the circadian modulation of brain neuronal excitability mediated through changes in interstitial potassium concentration.
JOURNAL OF SLEEP RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Momoka Kuroda, Yoshiko Suetsugu, Sachiko Iwata, Masahiro Kinoshita, Fumie Fujita, Yoko Sato, Shinji Saitoh, Osuke Iwata, Seiichi Morokuma
Summary: This study aimed to analyze the influence of mothers' nighttime responses on the sleep-wake rhythm of their 1-month-old infants. Findings showed that immediately picking up 1-month-old infants may result in longer daytime sleep compared to nighttime sleep, possibly due to the stimulating effects of picking up the infant on sleep-wake rhythm formation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Jerome A. Dempsey, Travis D. Gibbons
Summary: This article examines the importance of three long-standing questions regarding the influence of chemoreceptors on cardiorespiratory function. It discusses the effects of chemoreceptor activity on ventilation and the role of chemoreception in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea. The findings highlight the significance of chemoreceptors in regulating breathing and airway function.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yue Liang, Wu Shi, Anfeng Xiang, Dandan Hu, Liecheng Wang, Ling Zhang
Summary: The locus coeruleus (LC) plays a critical role in promoting wakefulness, with noradrenergic (LCNA) neurons exhibiting high activity during wakefulness. The LCNA neurons project directly to the ventrolateral preoptic area (VLPO), and their activation promotes arousal. Inhibition of sleep-active neurons in the VLPO through alpha(2) receptors and activation of wake-active neurons through alpha(1) and beta receptors lead to a synergistic effect on controlling wakefulness.
Article
Neurosciences
Helmi Abdalbari, Mohammad Durrani, Shivam Pancholi, Nikhil Patel, Slawomir J. Nasuto, Nicoletta Nicolaou
Summary: In this exploratory study, Granger Causality (GC) was used to investigate the interactions between the brain and heart during wakefulness and sleep. The results revealed significant differences between wakefulness and different sleep stages, and confirmed the existence of bidirectional connections between the brain and heart.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joseph L. Bedont, Anna Kolesnik, Pavel Pivarshev, Dania Malik, Cynthia T. Hsu, Aalim Weljie, Amita Sehgal
Summary: Chronic sleep loss has significant effects on metabolic health and lifespan. The metabolic consequences of chronically reduced sleep were investigated in three adult Drosophila short-sleeping mutants. The results suggest that nitrogen stress could be a mechanism linking chronic sleep loss to adverse health outcomes and potentially connecting food and sleep homeostasis at the cellular level in healthy organisms.
Article
Neurosciences
Diego Scheggia, Francesca Manago, Federica Maltese, Stefania Bruni, Marco Nigro, Daniel Dautan, Patrick Latuske, Gabriella Contarini, Marta Gomez-Gonzalo, Linda Maria Requie, Valentina Ferretti, Giulia Castellani, Daniele Mauro, Alessandra Bonavia, Giorgio Carmignoto, Ofer Yizhar, Francesco Papaleo
NATURE NEUROSCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiao Yu, Wei Ba, Guangchao Zhao, Ying Ma, Edward C. Harding, Lu Yin, Dan Wang, Huiming Li, Peng Zhang, Youran Shi, Raquel Yustos, Alexei L. Vyssotski, Hailong Dong, Nicholas P. Franks, William Wisden
Summary: The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is an important source of dopamine that regulates goal- and reward-directed behaviors, as well as social behaviors, wakefulness, and sleep. Roles of non-dopamine VTA neurons in psychiatric illness are still underexplored. Lesioning or inhibiting VTA GABAergic neurons can lead to mania-like symptoms with persistent wakefulness and increased activity.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nicholas P. Franks, William Wisden
Summary: The common human experience shows that a long period without sleep is unsustainable and detrimental to health and behavior. Understanding the biochemical or circuit basis for the sleep drive could lead to the development of sedative drugs that can artificially stimulate the benefits of sleep.
Article
Neurosciences
Edward C. Harding, Wei Ba, Reesha Zahir, Xiao Yu, Raquel Yustos, Bryan Hsieh, Leda Lignos, Alexei L. Vyssotski, Florian T. Merkle, Timothy G. Constandinou, Nicholas P. Franks, William Wisden
Summary: NOS1 neurons in the MnPO/MPO region play a crucial role in promoting both NREM and REM sleep, as well as chronically lowering body temperature by releasing various neurotransmitters. Modulating the activity of these neurons can significantly impact sleep structure and body temperature regulation in mice.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Elizabeth A. Souter, Yen-Chu Chen, Vivien Zell, Valeria Lallai, Thomas Steinkellner, William S. Conrad, William Wisden, Kenneth D. Harris, Christie D. Fowler, Thomas S. Hnasko
Summary: This study demonstrates that glutamate corelease from cholinergic neurons in the medial habenula opposes nicotine self-administration, providing further support for targeting this synapse to develop potential treatments for nicotine addiction.
Article
Neurosciences
Giulia Miracca, Berta Anuncibay-Soto, Kyoko Tossell, Raquel Yustos, Alexei L. Vyssotski, Nicholas P. Franks, William Wisden
Summary: The lateral preoptic hypothalamus plays a crucial role in NREM and REM sleep induction and NREM sleep homeostasis. Surprisingly, calcium signals in the lateral preoptic hypothalamus were found to be highest during REM sleep. NMDA receptors in the lateral preoptic hypothalamus were identified as the main drivers of excitation. Deleting these NMDA receptors led to insomnia and fragmented sleep patterns. The sleep fragmentation was specifically attributed to NMDA receptors on GABA neurons in the lateral preoptic hypothalamus.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Guliqiemu Aimaier, Kun Qian, Zishuo Zheng, Weifeng Peng, Zhe Zhang, Jing Ding, Xin Wang
Summary: Depressive disorders are common among people with epilepsy, and a linear support vector machine (SVM) model trained with heart rate variability (HRV) data can be used for unbiased automatic classification of epilepsy comorbid depressive disorder cases. HRV measurements during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep are particularly important for correct classification. This study provides an objective measurement to assess the depressive status in people with epilepsy.
Article
Cell Biology
Chenzhang Feng, Ying Wang, Xi Zha, Huateng Cao, Shajin Huang, Dongdong Cao, Kaiwei Zhang, Tianyuan Xie, Xiaohong Xu, Zhifeng Liang, Zhe Zhang
Summary: This study reveals the important role of preprodynorphin (PDYN)-expressing neurons in the dorsal medial region of the ventromedial hypothalamus (dmVMH) in cold-induced thermogenesis. The activation of dmVMH(Pdyn) neurons by cold temperature contributes to the increase in body temperature and other physiological responses. Furthermore, these neurons are also involved in social interaction and associated hyperthermia.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xiao Yu, Guangchao Zhao, Dan Wang, Sa Wang, Rui Li, Ao Li, Huan Wang, Mathieu Nollet, You Young Chun, Tianyuan Zhao, Raquel Yustos, Huiming Li, Jianshuai Zhao, Jiannan Li, Min Cai, Alexei L. Vyssotski, Yulong Li, Hailong Dong, Nicholas P. Franks, William Wisden
Summary: Social defeat stress induces sleep in mice, and a subset of VTA(Vgat-Sst) cells plays a crucial role in promoting and maintaining sleep through a specific neural circuit, while also inhibiting CRF release after stress.
Article
Neurosciences
Diana Lucaci, Xiao Yu, Paul Chadderton, William Wisden, Stephen G. Brickley
Summary: We investigated the effects of histamine and GABA release from TMN axons projecting to the PFC on circuit processing. Histamine stimulated fast-spiking interneurons, while released GABA enhanced tonic inhibition on PyrNs. Histamine-induced gain changes were blocked by histamine receptor antagonists, while GABA-induced gain changes were blocked by GABAA receptor antagonists. The GABA modulation of PyrN excitability by TMNHDC axons increased significantly in older mice, potentially enhancing information processing and maintaining cognition in aging individuals.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Alina Stegemann, Sheng Liu, Oscar Andres Retana Romero, Manfred Josef Oswald, Yechao Han, Carlo Antonio Beretta, Zheng Gan, Linette Liqi Tan, William Wisden, Johannes Graff, Rohini Kuner
Summary: A painful episode can have long-term effects on an individual's pain experience, and fear anticipation may play a role in this phenomenon. However, the neurobiological mechanisms behind this are unclear. This study in mice shows that fear memories stored in the prefrontal cortex can shape pain experience later in life, and blocking these fear memories can alleviate chronic pain.
NATURE NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Clinical Neurology
K. Tossell, X. Yu, B. Anuncibay Soto, M. Vicente, G. Miracca, P. Giannos, A. Miao, B. Hsieh, Y. Ma, R. Yustos, A. L. Vyssotski, T. Constandinou, N. P. Franks, W. Wisden