title: Orexin: a potential role in the process of obstructive sleep apnea.
abstract: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a complicated disease with an unrecognized mechanism. Obesity, sex, age, and smoking have been found to be independent correlates of OSA. Orexin (also named hypocretin) mainly secreted by lateral hypothalamus neurons has a wide array of biological functions like regulating sleep, energy levels and breathing. Several clinical studies found ties between orexin and OSA. Because of the close correlation between orexin and obesity, sex, age and smoking (which are the key risk factors for OSA patients), we hypothesize that orexin may play a key role in the pathogenesis of OSA.
authors: Institute of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Department of Orthodontics, Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Wang
authors: Yongchu
authors: Y
authors: Pan
authors: Qingyi
authors: Q
authors: Li
authors: Lin
authors: L
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000378:metabolism; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000502:physiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D000068797:Orexins; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: C000596229:HCRT protein, human; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D000068797:Orexins