title: Orexin deficiency and narcolepsy.
abstract: Orexin deficiency results in the sleep disorder narcolepsy in many mammalian species, including mice, dogs, and humans, suggesting that the orexin system is particularly important for normal regulation of sleep/wakefulness states, and especially for maintenance of wakefulness. This review discusses animal models of narcolepsy; the contribution of each orexin receptor subtype to the narcoleptic phenotypes; and the etiology of orexin neuronal death. It also raises the possibility of novel therapies targeting the orexin system for sleep disorders including insomia and narcolepsy-cataplexy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Neuroscience and Integrative Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan. Electronic address: tsakurai@med.kanazawa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000172:deficiency*; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000172:deficiency*; D000068797:Orexins; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D000068797:Orexins