title: Optogenetic stimulation of MCH neurons increases sleep.
abstract: Melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) is a cyclic neuropeptide present in the hypothalamus of all vertebrates. MCH is implicated in a number of behaviors but direct evidence is lacking. To selectively stimulate the MCH neurons the gene for the light-sensitive cation channel, channelrhodopsin-2, was inserted into the MCH neurons of wild-type mice. Three weeks later MCH neurons were stimulated for 1 min every 5 min for 24 h. A 10 Hz stimulation at the start of the night hastened sleep onset, reduced length of wake bouts by 50%, increased total time in non-REM and REM sleep at night, and increased sleep intensity during the day cycle. Sleep induction at a circadian time when all of the arousal neurons are active indicates that MCH stimulation can powerfully counteract the combined wake-promoting signal of the arousal neurons. This could be potentially useful in treatment of insomnia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
authors.forename: Roda Rani
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Konadhode
authors.forename: Dheeraj
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pelluru
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blanco-Centurion
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zayachkivsky
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uhde
authors.forename: W Bailey
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Glen
authors.forename: Anthony N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: van den Pol
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Mulholland
authors.forename: Priyattam J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Shiromani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000075402:Channelrhodopsins; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D003116:Color; D003700:Delta Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004569:Electroencephalography; D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008543:Melanins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000502:physiology; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000075402:Channelrhodopsins; D007028:Hypothalamic Hormones; D008543:Melanins; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; C019463:melanin-concentrating hormone