title: [Connectomics of orexin-producing neurons: analysis using mouse models].
abstract: Orexin A and orexin B (also known as hypocretin 1 and hypocretin 2) are hypothalamic neuropeptides that we discovered thirteen years ago. Initially, these peptides were recognized as regulators of feeding behavior. Subsequently, several studies suggested that orexin deficiency causes narcolepsy in humans and other mammalian species, highlighting roles of this hypothalamic neuropeptide in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness. Studies of efferent and afferent systems of orexin-producing neurons have shown that the orexin neuronal system has close interactions with systems that regulate emotion, energy homeostasis, reward, and arousal. These observations suggest that orexin neurons are involved in sensing the body's external and internal environments, and regulate vigilance states accordingly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Neuroscience and Integrative Physiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan. tsakurai@med.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000209:etiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology*; D064446:Orexin Receptors; D000068797:Orexins; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000502:physiology; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide / Q000502:physiology; D012201:Reward; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D014851:Wakefulness
chemical_list: C000596229:HCRT protein, human; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D064446:Orexin Receptors; D000068797:Orexins; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide