Experimental Nasal Spray May Reverse Sleep Deprivation
December 21st, 2007 Posted by: Dr. Cox
(Ivanhoe Newswire) â College students, hospital interns, and others who are sleep-deprived may someday be able to get their condition reversed.
Scientists know that losing the hypothalamic neurons that produce orexin-A causes narcolepsy, and adding orexin-A produces arousal and increased attention. Orexin-A is a protein-like molecule the brain makes.
Now researchers have more evidence orexin-A can counteract the effects of sleep deprivation.
They studied adult rhesus monkeys that were sleep deprived for 30 to 36 hours. The monkeys were kept awake with a combination of videos, music, treats, gentle rattling of their cages, and constant supervision by laboratory personnel. They were then tested on a short-term memory task.
Results show monkeys that got orexin-A, particularly when it was sprayed into their nose, performed better. Because the nasal spray worked so well, researchers say it may be useful for potential clinical applications.
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SOURCE: Journal of Neuroscience, 2007