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The Sleep-Promoting Ventrolateral Preoptic Nucleus: What Have We Learned over the Past 25 Years? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23062905. [PMID: 35328326 PMCID: PMC8954377 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23062905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
For over a century, the role of the preoptic hypothalamus and adjacent basal forebrain in sleep-wake regulation has been recognized. However, for years, the identity and location of sleep- and wake-promoting neurons in this region remained largely unresolved. Twenty-five years ago, Saper and colleagues uncovered a small collection of sleep-active neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO) of the preoptic hypothalamus, and since this seminal discovery the VLPO has been intensively investigated by labs around the world, including our own. Herein, we first review the history of the preoptic area, with an emphasis on the VLPO in sleep-wake control. We then attempt to synthesize our current understanding of the circuit, cellular and synaptic bases by which the VLPO both regulates and is itself regulated, in order to exert a powerful control over behavioral state, as well as examining data suggesting an involvement of the VLPO in other physiological processes.
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Yu X, Ma Y, Harding EC, Yustos R, Vyssotski AL, Franks NP, Wisden W. Genetic lesioning of histamine neurons increases sleep-wake fragmentation and reveals their contribution to modafinil-induced wakefulness. Sleep 2019; 42:zsz031. [PMID: 30722053 PMCID: PMC6519916 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsz031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute chemogenetic inhibition of histamine (HA) neurons in adult mice induced nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep with an increased delta power. By contrast, selective genetic lesioning of HA neurons with caspase in adult mice exhibited a normal sleep-wake cycle overall, except at the diurnal start of the lights-off period, when they remained sleepier. The amount of time spent in NREM sleep and in the wake state in mice with lesioned HA neurons was unchanged over 24 hr, but the sleep-wake cycle was more fragmented. Both the delayed increase in wakefulness at the start of the night and the sleep-wake fragmentation are similar phenotypes to histidine decarboxylase knockout mice, which cannot synthesize HA. Chronic loss of HA neurons did not affect sleep homeostasis after sleep deprivation. However, the chronic loss of HA neurons or chemogenetic inhibition of HA neurons did notably reduce the ability of the wake-promoting compound modafinil to sustain wakefulness. Thus, part of modafinil's wake-promoting actions arise through the HA system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Yu
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Ying Ma
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
| | | | - Raquel Yustos
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Alexei L Vyssotski
- Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zürich/ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nicholas P Franks
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London, UK
| | - William Wisden
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London, UK
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Galanin neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic area promote sleep and heat loss in mice. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4129. [PMID: 30297727 PMCID: PMC6175893 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06590-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The preoptic area (POA) is necessary for sleep, but the fundamental POA circuits have remained elusive. Previous studies showed that galanin (GAL)- and GABA-producing neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO) express cFos after periods of increased sleep and innervate key wake-promoting regions. Although lesions in this region can produce insomnia, high frequency photostimulation of the POAGAL neurons was shown to paradoxically cause waking, not sleep. Here we report that photostimulation of VLPOGAL neurons in mice promotes sleep with low frequency stimulation (1-4 Hz), but causes conduction block and waking at frequencies above 8 Hz. Further, optogenetic inhibition reduces sleep. Chemogenetic activation of VLPOGAL neurons confirms the increase in sleep, and also reduces body temperature. In addition, chemogenetic activation of VLPOGAL neurons induces short-latency sleep in an animal model of insomnia. Collectively, these findings establish a causal role of VLPOGAL neurons in both sleep induction and heat loss.
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Murillo-Rodríguez E, Barciela Veras A, Barbosa Rocha N, Budde H, Machado S. An Overview of the Clinical Uses, Pharmacology, and Safety of Modafinil. ACS Chem Neurosci 2018; 9:151-158. [PMID: 29115823 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.7b00374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Modafinil (MOD) is a wakefulness-inducing compound prescribed for treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness as a consequence of sleep disturbances such as shift work sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or narcolepsy. While providing effective results in patients with sleepiness, MOD also produces positive outcomes in the management of fatigue associated with different conditions including depression, cancer, or tiredness in military personnel. Although there is clear evidence of the stimulant effects of MOD, current data also show that administration of this drug apparently induces positive neurobiological effects, such as improvement in memory. However, serious concerns have been raised since some reports have suggested MOD dependence. Taken together, these findings highlight the need to characterize the changes induced by MOD which have been observed in several neurobiological functions. Moreover, further work should follow up on the likely long-term effects of this drug if used for treatment of drowsiness and tiredness. Here, we review and summarize recent findings of the medical uses of MOD in the management of sleepiness and fatigue associated with depression or cancer as well as exhaustion in military personnel. We also discuss the available literature related with the cognitive enhancing properties of this stimulant, as well as what is known and unknown about MOD addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Murillo-Rodríguez
- Laboratorio
de Neurociencias Moleculares e Integrativas, Escuela de Medicina División
Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Anáhuac Mayab, 97310 Mérida, Yucatán, México
- Grupo
de Investigación en Envejecimiento, División Ciencias
de la Salud, Universidad Anáhuac Mayab, 97310 Mérida, Yucatán, México
- Intercontinental Neuroscience Research Group, Yucatán, México
| | - André Barciela Veras
- Intercontinental Neuroscience Research Group, Yucatán, México
- Grupo de Pesquisa Translacional em
Saúde Mental, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo
Grande, Mato Grosso del Sur 79117-900, Brazil
- Panic
and Respiration Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry Federal, University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil
| | - Nuno Barbosa Rocha
- Intercontinental Neuroscience Research Group, Yucatán, México
- Health School, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Henning Budde
- Intercontinental Neuroscience Research Group, Yucatán, México
- Faculty
of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
- Physical
Activity, Physical Education, Health and Sport Research Centre (PAPESH),
Sports Science Department, School of Science and Engineering, Reykjavik University, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
- Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas 44221, Lithuania
| | - Sérgio Machado
- Intercontinental Neuroscience Research Group, Yucatán, México
- Panic
and Respiration Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry Federal, University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil
- Physical
Activity Neuroscience Laboratory, Physical Activity Sciences Postgraduate
Program-Salgado de Oliveira University, Salgado de Oliveira University, Niterói 24030-060, Brazil
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Anaclet C, Griffith K, Fuller PM. Activation of the GABAergic Parafacial Zone Maintains Sleep and Counteracts the Wake-Promoting Action of the Psychostimulants Armodafinil and Caffeine. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:415-425. [PMID: 28722021 PMCID: PMC5729562 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
We previously reported that acute and selective activation of GABA-releasing parafacial zone (PZVgat) neurons in behaving mice produces slow-wave-sleep (SWS), even in the absence of sleep deficit, suggesting that these neurons may represent, at least in part, a key cellular substrate underlying sleep drive. It remains, however, to be determined if PZVgat neurons actively maintain, as oppose to simply gate, SWS. To begin to experimentally address this knowledge gap, we asked whether activation of PZVgat neurons could attenuate or block the wake-promoting effects of two widely used wake-promoting psychostimulants, armodafinil or caffeine. We found that activation of PZVgat neurons completely blocked the behavioral and electrocortical wake-promoting action of armodafinil. In some contrast, activation of PZVgat neurons inhibited the behavioral, but not electrocortical, arousal response to caffeine. These results suggest that: (1) PZVgat neurons actively maintain, as oppose to simply gate, SWS and cortical slow-wave-activity; (2) armodafinil cannot exert its wake-promoting effects when PZVgat neurons are activated, intimating a possible shared circuit/molecular basis for mechanism of action; (3) caffeine can continue to exert potent cortical desynchronizing, but not behavioral, effects when PZVgat neurons are activated, inferring a shared and divergent circuit/molecular basis for mechanism of action; and 4) PZVgat neurons represent a key cell population for SWS induction and maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Anaclet
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Kobi Griffith
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Patrick M Fuller
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Anaclet C, Fuller PM. Brainstem regulation of slow-wave-sleep. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2017; 44:139-143. [PMID: 28500870 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2017.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Recent work has helped reconcile puzzling results from brainstem transection studies first performed over 60 years ago, which suggested the existence of a sleep-promoting system in the medullary brainstem. It was specifically shown that GABAergic neurons located in the medullary brainstem parafacial zone (PZGABA) are not only necessary for normal slow-wave-sleep (SWS) but that their selective activation is sufficient to induce SWS in behaving animals. In this review we discuss early experimental findings that inspired the hypothesis that the caudal brainstem contained SWS-promoting circuitry. We then describe the discovery of the SWS-promoting PZGABA and discuss future experimental priorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Anaclet
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States; Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, United States.
| | - Patrick M Fuller
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States.
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Black SW, Yamanaka A, Kilduff TS. Challenges in the development of therapeutics for narcolepsy. Prog Neurobiol 2015; 152:89-113. [PMID: 26721620 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2015.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Revised: 11/14/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that afflicts 1 in 2000 individuals and is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy-a sudden loss of muscle tone triggered by positive emotions. Features of narcolepsy include dysregulation of arousal state boundaries as well as autonomic and metabolic disturbances. Disruption of neurotransmission through the hypocretin/orexin (Hcrt) system, usually by degeneration of the HCRT-producing neurons in the posterior hypothalamus, results in narcolepsy. The cause of Hcrt neurodegeneration is unknown but thought to be related to autoimmune processes. Current treatments for narcolepsy are symptomatic, including wake-promoting therapeutics that increase presynaptic dopamine release and anticataplectic agents that activate monoaminergic neurotransmission. Sodium oxybate is the only medication approved by the US Food and Drug Administration that alleviates both sleep/wake disturbances and cataplexy. Development of therapeutics for narcolepsy has been challenged by historical misunderstanding of the disease, its many disparate symptoms and, until recently, its unknown etiology. Animal models have been essential to elucidating the neuropathology underlying narcolepsy. These models have also aided understanding the neurobiology of the Hcrt system, mechanisms of cataplexy, and the pharmacology of narcolepsy medications. Transgenic rodent models will be critical in the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of narcolepsy, particularly efforts directed to overcome challenges in the development of hypocretin replacement therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Wurts Black
- Center for Neuroscience, Biosciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Akihiro Yamanaka
- Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Thomas S Kilduff
- Center for Neuroscience, Biosciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA.
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Nishimura Y, Okabe S, Sasagawa S, Murakami S, Ashikawa Y, Yuge M, Kawaguchi K, Kawase R, Tanaka T. Pharmacological profiling of zebrafish behavior using chemical and genetic classification of sleep-wake modifiers. Front Pharmacol 2015; 6:257. [PMID: 26578964 PMCID: PMC4630575 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2015.00257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep-wake states are impaired in various neurological disorders. Impairment of sleep-wake states can be an early condition that exacerbates these disorders. Therefore, treating sleep-wake dysfunction may prevent or slow the development of these diseases. Although many gene products are likely to be involved in the sleep-wake disturbance, hypnotics and psychostimulants clinically used are limited in terms of their mode of action and are not without side effects. Therefore, there is a growing demand for developing new hypnotics and psychostimulants with high efficacy and few side effects. Toward this end, animal models are indispensable for use in genetic and chemical screens to identify sleep-wake modifiers. As a proof-of-concept study, we performed behavioral profiling of zebrafish treated with chemical and genetic sleep-wake modifiers. We were able to demonstrate that behavioral profiling of zebrafish treated with hypnotics or psychostimulants from 9 to 10 days post-fertilization was sufficient to identify drugs with specific modes of action. We were also able to identify behavioral endpoints distinguishing GABA-A modulators and hypocretin (hcrt) receptor antagonists and between sympathomimetic and non-sympathomimetic psychostimulants. This behavioral profiling can serve to identify genes related to sleep-wake disturbance associated with various neuropsychiatric diseases and novel therapeutic compounds for insomnia and excessive daytime sleep with fewer adverse side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhei Nishimura
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacoinformatics, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine Tsu, Japan ; Mie University Medical Zebrafish Research Center Tsu, Japan ; Department of Systems Pharmacology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine Tsu, Japan ; Department of Omics Medicine, Mie University Industrial Technology Innovation Institute Tsu, Japan ; Department of Bioinformatics, Mie University Life Science Research Center Tsu, Japan
| | - Shiko Okabe
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacoinformatics, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine Tsu, Japan
| | - Shota Sasagawa
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacoinformatics, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine Tsu, Japan
| | - Soichiro Murakami
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacoinformatics, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine Tsu, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Ashikawa
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacoinformatics, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine Tsu, Japan
| | - Mizuki Yuge
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacoinformatics, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine Tsu, Japan
| | - Koki Kawaguchi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacoinformatics, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine Tsu, Japan
| | - Reiko Kawase
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacoinformatics, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine Tsu, Japan
| | - Toshio Tanaka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacoinformatics, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine Tsu, Japan ; Mie University Medical Zebrafish Research Center Tsu, Japan ; Department of Systems Pharmacology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine Tsu, Japan ; Department of Omics Medicine, Mie University Industrial Technology Innovation Institute Tsu, Japan ; Department of Bioinformatics, Mie University Life Science Research Center Tsu, Japan
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