PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Roda Rani Konadhode
AU  - Dheeraj Pelluru
AU  - Carlos Blanco-Centurion
AU  - Andrew Zayachkivsky
AU  - Meng Liu
AU  - Thomas Uhde
AU  - W. Bailey Glen, Jr
AU  - Anthony N. van den Pol
AU  - Patrick J. Mulholland
AU  - Priyattam J. Shiromani
TI  - Optogenetic Stimulation of MCH Neurons Increases Sleep
AID  - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1225-13.2013
DP  - 2013 Jun 19
TA  - The Journal of Neuroscience
PG  - 10257--10263
VI  - 33
IP  - 25
4099  - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/33/25/10257.short
4100  - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/33/25/10257.full
SO  - J. Neurosci.2013 Jun 19; 33
AB  - 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.