Hypothalamic MCH Neuron Activity Dynamics during Cataplexy of Narcolepsy.

ABSTRACT: Hypothalamic orexin (hypocretin, HCRT) deficiency causes sleep disorder narcolepsy with cataplexy in humans and murine. As another integral group of sleep/wake-regulating neurons in the same brain area, the melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) neurons' involvement in cataplexy remains ambiguous. Here we used the live animal deep-brain calcium (Ca²⁺) imaging tool to record MCH neuron dynamics during cataplexy by expressing calcium sensor GCaMP6s into genetically defined MCH neurons in orexin knock-out mice, which are a model of human narcolepsy. Similar to wild-type mice, MCH neurons of the narcoleptic mice displayed significantly higher Ca²⁺ transient fluorescent intensity during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and active waking (AW) episodes compared with non-REM (NREM

SUBMITTER: Sun Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7196720 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar/Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature