title: Melanin concentrating hormone in central hypersomnia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Narcolepsy with cataplexy (NC) is a disabling disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and abnormal rapid eye movement (REM) sleep manifestations, due to a deficient hypocretin/orexin neurotransmission. Melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) neurons involved in the homeostatic regulation of REM sleep are intact. We hypothesized that an increased release of MCH in NC would be partly responsible for the abnormal REM sleep manifestations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two untreated patients affected with central hypersomnia were included: 14 NC, six idiopathic hypersomnia with long sleep time, and two post-traumatic hypersomnia. Fourteen neurological patients without any sleep disorders were included as controls. Using radioimmunoassays, we measured hypocretin-1 and MCH levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MCH level was slightly but significantly lower in patients with hypersomnia (98 ± 32 pg/ml) compared to controls (118 ± 20 pg/ml). After exclusion of patients affected with post-traumatic hypersomnia the difference became non-significant. We also failed to find any association between MCH level and hypocretin level, the severity of daytime sleepiness, the number of SOREMPs, the frequency of cataplexy, and the presence of hypnagogic hallucinations or sleep paralysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reports the first measurement of MCH in CSF using radioimmunoassay technology. It appears to be a non-informative tool to differentiate etiologies of central hypersomnia with or without REM sleep dysregulation.
authors.affiliation: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR5167, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Université de Lyon, Institut Fédératif des Neurosciences de Lyon, 7 rue Guillaume Paradin, 69372 Lyon Cedex 08, France.
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peyron
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valentin
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bayard
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hanriot
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bedetti
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rousset
authors.forename: Pierre-Hervé
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Luppi
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dauvilliers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000503:physiopathology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D000068797:Orexins; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000596229:HCRT protein, human; D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008543:Melanins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D000068797:Orexins; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; C019463:melanin-concentrating hormone