Identifying environmental factors essential for the maturation of sleep-wake cycles through continuous measurement in pre- maturation mice

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K05997
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 42040:Laboratory animal science-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Hotta Noriko 筑波大学, 国際統合睡眠医科学研究機構, 研究員 (00815649)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 三好 千香 筑波大学, 国際統合睡眠医科学研究機構, 研究員 (60613437) ; 船戸 弘正 筑波大学, 国際統合睡眠医科学研究機構, 客員教授 (90363118)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 睡眠測定 / マウス / 脳波・筋電図 / 若齢期 / 睡眠障害

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To elucidate the environmental factors necessary for the maturation process of sleep-wake cycle, mice were maintained in an “exercise environment,” which was assumed to be a good sleep environment, and in a “light/dark cycle-free environment,” which was assumed to be a sleep-wake rhythm disorder caused by light stimulation. EEG-EMG based sleep recording were performed sequentially in young adult (10 wks), mature (30 wks), and old (60 wks) ages.
In addition, Sik3 Sleepy mice, a model of hypersomnia, were also maintained in an exercise environment, and sleep was evaluated in the young and mature stages. Taken together these results suggest that the exercise environment has a symptom-relieving effects not only on sleep rhythm disorders caused by acquired factors, but also on congenital hypersomnia.

Free Research Field

マウスを用いた睡眠研究

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回、後天的要因である光刺激のリズム消失による睡眠リズム障害だけでなく、先天的過眠症モデルマウスにおいても、運動環境が睡眠障害の症状改善への寄与が示唆される結果が得られた。これらは、睡眠障害治療への応用が期待される。
加えて、性成熟前における過眠症の発症過程が明らかになった。この睡眠測定手法は、他の睡眠障害モデルマウスでも応用が可能であり、各睡眠障害の発症過程の研究に貢献することが期待される。