Analysis of the mechanism and function of REM sleep with genetic tools

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22674
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0704:Neuroscience, brain sciences, and related fields
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Kashiwagi Mitsuaki 筑波大学, 国際統合睡眠医科学研究機構, 助教 (40879285)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: マウス / 化学遺伝学 / レム睡眠 / ノンレム睡眠 / 脳幹

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mammalian sleep comprises two distinct stages: REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and non-REM sleep. The mechanisms and functions of REM sleep are still poorly understood.
I have focused on the medulla, where active involvement in the regulation of REM sleep has been recently suggested. As a result, I have succeeded in genetically identifying neurons that strongly induce REM sleep. By utilizing mice in which the amount of REM sleep can be artificially controlled established in this study, these results are expected to contribute to understanding the functions of REM sleep in the future.

Free Research Field

神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、これまで理解が進んでいなかった延髄領域でレム睡眠を生み出す神経回路メカニズムを明らかにした。本研究を端として、レム睡眠のメカニズムの全貌の解明に貢献する可能性が期待される。また、レム睡眠はストーリー性に富む夢を生じる脳状態であると知られる。レム睡眠のメカニズム解析は夢を生じるメカニズムやその機能に関する考察にも発展する可能性が期待される。