Genetic evidence for a role of CREB in sustained cortical arousal.
The cyclic AMP-response element binding protein (CREB) is an activity-dependent transcription factor important for synaptic plasticity and memory storage. Levels of phosphorylated CREB within the cortex are higher in waking than in sleep, suggesting that CREB plays a role in sleep/wake regulation in mammals. We tested the hypothesis that CREB is critical for sleep/wake regulation by examining behavioral state parameters in mice lacking the alpha and Delta isoforms of CREB. Over 24 h, time spent awake was significantly decreased in CREB alphaDelta mutant mice by approximately 100 min, and time spent in nonrapid eye movement sleep (NREM) sleep was increased correspondingly. Wake and REM sleep periods were shorter in CREB alphaDelta mice, and CREB alphaDelta mice had decreased levels of -activity during wake and REM sleep, consistent with an impairment in the ability to maintain an activated electroencephalogram. These results suggest that the CREB protein contributes to the mechanisms by which wakefulness is maintained and demonstrate that specific genetic alterations in species as diverse as Drosophila and mice produce similar phenotypes in arousal and wakefulness.
Graves
Laurel A
LA
Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
Hellman
Kevin
K
Veasey
Sigrid
S
Blendy
Julie A
JA
Pack
Allan I
AI
Abel
Ted
T
D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D012890:Sleep / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012892:Sleep Deprivation; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000502:physiology; D013826:Theta Rhythm
D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein