Involvement of Central Glial Cells in Sleep

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24621008
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 睡眠科学
• Research Institution: Osaka Prefecture University
• Principal Investigator: NAKAMURA Yoichi 大阪府立大学, 生命環境科学研究科(系), 教授 (90180413)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MORIYAMA Mitsuaki 大阪府立大学, 生命環境科学研究科, 准教授 (20275283) ; TAKANO Katsura 大阪府立大学, 生命環境科学研究科, 助教 (50453139)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: アストロサイト / 睡眠覚醒 / 細胞機能調節 / ギャップ結合 / グルタミン酸輸送

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Astrocytes, surrounding neurons in CNS, play pivotal roles in brain energy metabolism. We found several drugs affects cellular functions of astrocytes. It is, especially, very interesting that inhibitors of gap junction (GJ) augment glutamate (Glu) uptake. Glu is the most abundant excitatory transmitter in our brain, and the augmentation of Glu uptake causes the decrease in the awakening level of total brain. Inhibition of GJ is possible to cause the reduction of inter-astrocytes communication, the decline of awakening level, and switching mode into the accumulation of glycogen from the consumption. The direct evidence would be necessary in future between actual animal sleep and the changes in cellular functions of astrocytes; however, we believe that this is a plausible hypothesis of an involvement of astrocytes in animal sleep.

Free Research Field

獣医生理学