The role of sleep gene, Kcnk9, in sleep homeostasis

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16487
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 48020:Physiology-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Shi Shoi 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科(医学部), 助教 (40803656)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 睡眠恒常性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Daily sleep duration is maintained at a constant level, and this property is called homeostasis. Homeostasis can be achieved by combining a mechanism that defines the amount of sleep duration in a day with a feedback mechanism that works to compensate the sleep duration when it deviates from it. This study aims to clarify the relationship between genes and the regulatory mechanism of sleep homeostasis by combining mathematical and experimental methods in specific genetically modified mice. This research has resulted in five papers in English, four invited lectures at symposia, and two presentations at international conferences, which is considered to be a result of the well-received research results.

Free Research Field

睡眠

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

睡眠恒常性と特定の遺伝子の関係を理解することで、特定の遺伝子を制御する創薬が可能になります。特に、安全な睡眠薬の開発が進む可能性があります。また、睡眠は多くの精神疾患、神経変性疾患と深くかかわっており、睡眠を制御するメカニズムを理解することで、それらの疾患に対する理解が深まり、創薬への道が開ける可能性があります。