The hypocretins as sensors for metabolism and arousal
- 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304-5742, USA
- Corresponding authors L. de Lecea and A. Adamantidis: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304-5742, USA. Email: llecea{at}stanford.edu and tidis{at}stanford.edu
Abstract
Sleep disturbances are associated with hormonal imbalances and may result in metabolic disorders including obesity and diabetes. Therefore, circuits controlling both sleep and metabolism are likely to play a role in these physiopathological conditions. The hypocretin (Hcrt) system is a strong candidate for mediating both sleep and metabolic imbalances because Hcrt neurons are sensitive to metabolic hormones, including leptin and ghrelin, and modulate arousal and goal-orientated behaviours. This review discusses the role of Hcrt neurons as a sensors of energy balance and arousal and proposes new ways of probing local hypothalamic circuits regulating sleep and metabolism with unprecedented cellular specificity and temporal resolution.
Footnotes
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(Received 3 October 2008; accepted after revision 20 November 2008; first published online 1 December 2008)
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This report was presented at a Physiological Society Themed Meeting on Orchestration of metabolism in health and disease, which took place at the University of Oxford, UK, 9–11 September 2008.
