Scientists are getting closer to ravel out the enigma of sleep , having now figure out what happens in the psyche at the accurate minute when it falls into a sleep . For some time , research worker have seek to turn up the body ’s “ sopor homeostat ” , which trail sure physiological changes so as to adjudicate when it needs to go to sleep . The writer of a Modern work inNaturenow claim that , while they are still no closer to deciphering exactly what this “ internal bookkeeper ” measures , they have at least work out out how it flick the sleep switch in the head .
The team conducted their work using fruit fly brains , which have previously been shown to contain a cluster of neuron in a realm called thedorsal fan - mold body(dFB ) that appear to check the changeover from wakefulness to sleep . Also found in many mammals – including humans – dFB neuron remain soundless when we are awake , but become active when they require to send us to kip .
In old studies , researchers have artificiallyplayed around with the bodily function of these neurons , find that doing so stimulate the fly to wake up or fall asleep on pool stick . However , the mechanisms controlling this fluctuating neural activity have so far remain elusive .
To strain and shed light on the affair , the study authors used a proficiency called optogenetics to artificially excite the release ofdopaminein the dFB of yield flies . This , they discovered , make the neurons in this part of the brain to become activated , causing the tent flap to come gone . Conversely , when Intropin was stamp down , dFB neurons fell silent , causing kip flies to rouse up .
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see deeper at the processes involved , the team found that the activity of these neurons was controlled by a particularpotassium channel , which regulates the flow of potassium ion across cell membranes to alter their current . When dFB neurons are silent , this channel – which the researched have dubbed the “ Sandman ” television channel – is located on the inside of these cells , forbid the influx of potassium ion . However , when dopamine is represent , it migrates to the outside of the neuronal tissue layer , allowing potassium ion to cross this barrier and actuate the nerve cell .
Rather than throwing sand into our eyes for commit us to kip , therefore , it would appear that the Sandman actually hits us with a social disease of K . According to study co - generator Gero Miesenböck , this enquiry answers one of the major questions regarding how the sleep homeostat works . However , he explained in astatementthat several other primal questions remain unresolved , most notably , “ what does the sleep homeostat measure ? If we make out the answer , we ’d be one giant measure closer to unravel the secret of sleep . ”
