Article abstract
Nature Neuroscience 11, 1068 - 1073 (2008)
Published online: 17 August 2008 | doi:10.1038/nn.2179
The acute light-induction of sleep is mediated by OPN4-based photoreception
Daniela Lupi1,3, Henrik Oster1,2,3, Stewart Thompson1,2 & Russell G Foster1
Abstract
Sleep is regulated by both homeostatic and circadian mechanisms. The latter, termed 'process c', helps synchronize sleep-wake patterns to the appropriate time of the day. However, in the absence of a circadian clock, overall sleep-wake rhythmicity is preserved and remains synchronized to the external light-dark cycle, indicating that there is an additional, clock-independent photic input to sleep. We found that the direct photic regulation of sleep in mice is predominantly mediated by melanopsin (OPN4)-based photoreception of photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (pRGCs). Moreover, OPN4-dependent sleep regulation was correlated with the activation of sleep-promoting neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic area and the superior colliculus. Collectively, our findings describe a previously unknown pathway in sleep regulation and identify the pRGC/OPN4 signaling system as a potentially new pharmacological target for the selective manipulation of sleep and arousal states.
- Circadian and Visual Neuroscience Group, Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Levels 5 and 6 West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
- Present addresses: Circadian Rhythms Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany (H.O.) and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA (S.T.).
- These authors contributed equally to this work.
Correspondence to: Russell G Foster1 e-mail: russell.foster@eye.ox.ac.uk
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