153 posts · 67,530 views
This blog highlights current neuroscience news published in peer-reviewed journals, with a particular emphasis on sleep/circadian rhythms. Every Thursday, I feature the front-page photomicrograph and the respective article from the current week's Journal of Neuroscience in a segment titled Neury Thursday. I also incorporate a substantial amount of media, including the highlighted article and related video. I try to write for the lay person, but if I do inevitably use jargon, I will briefly explain and provide a wikipedia reference. I'd like to think I have a sense of humor reflected through my writing style and/or post topics
Allison
153 posts
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- May 5, 2013
- 11:30 AM
- 50 views
Chromosomes, Sex, and Sleep
by Allison in Dormivigilia
We have differentiated between chromosomal versus hormonal influences on normal sleep and sleep rebounds in hermaphroditic mice. The neural mechanisms are TBD, however. ... Read more »
Ehlen, J., Hesse, S., Pinckney, L., & Paul, K. (2013) Sex Chromosomes Regulate Nighttime Sleep Propensity during Recovery from Sleep Loss in Mice. PLoS ONE, 8(5). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062205
- April 30, 2013
- 07:25 PM
- 51 views
Molecular Evidence for Memory Consolidation during REM Sleep
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Molecular biologists have observed changes in common signaling cascades throughout the course of REM sleep episodes (in rodents) with disruption to these signaling cascades leading to memory deficits. It's good to see a paper focusing on mechanism now that we have a plethora of papers showing that depriving yourself of REM sleep can have detrimental effects on all types of memory (episodic, emotional, declarative, procedural) ... Read more »
Luo, J., Phan, T., Yang, Y., Garelick, M., & Storm, D. (2013) Increases in cAMP, MAPK Activity, and CREB Phosphorylation during REM Sleep: Implications for REM Sleep and Memory Consolidation. Journal of Neuroscience, 33(15), 6460-6468. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5018-12.2013
- April 23, 2013
- 10:30 PM
- 68 views
My Doctoral Diploma: Per2, Circadian Rhythms, and Coke
by Allison in Dormivigilia
This paper marks my official graduation from my doctoral program. I examined how clock genes modulate the ability of cocaine to shift rhythms of locomotor activity ... Read more »
Brager AJ, Stowie AC, Prosser RA, & Glass JD. (2013) The mPer2 clock gene modulates cocaine actions in the mouse circadian system. Behavioural brain research, 255-60. PMID: 23333842
- April 21, 2013
- 11:30 AM
- 73 views
PET scans in rodents?
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Neuroimaging in rodents is now widely used. These researchers identified brain areas activated during wake and compared this activation with other common means of activation (optogenetics). While this study is more of a methods paper, I do think that there are a few important loopholes that the reviewers overlooked (sorry). ... Read more »
Thanos PK, Robison L, Nestler EJ, Kim R, Michaelides M, Lobo MK, & Volkow ND. (2013) Mapping Brain Metabolic Connectivity in Awake Rats with μPET and Optogenetic Stimulation. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 33(15), 6343-6349. PMID: 23575833
- April 13, 2013
- 04:54 PM
- 70 views
Influences of Genetic and Hormonal Sex on Circadian Rhythms
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Mice with the human equivalent of gender identity disorder (XX males and XY females) reveal unique aspects of circadian rhythms that are under the influences of genetic vs. hormonal sex.... Read more »
Kuljis, D., Loh, D., Truong, D., Vosko, A., Ong, M., McClusky, R., Arnold, A., & Colwell, C. (2013) Gonadal- and Sex-Chromosome-Dependent Sex Differences in the Circadian System. Endocrinology, 154(4), 1501-1512. DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-1921
- March 24, 2013
- 11:00 AM
- 122 views
Sleep in a worm, regulation by muscle
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Researchers at UPENN have provided evidence for muscle regulation of sleep in a simple model organism; the roundworm. Whether this has any replicational potential in mammalian species remains unknown, but I definitely think it will be a hott topic in research (and the media)... Read more »
Driver, R., Lamb, A., Wyner, A., & Raizen, D. (2013) DAF-16/FOXO Regulates Homeostasis of Essential Sleep-like Behavior during Larval Transitions in C. elegans. Current Biology, 23(6), 501-506. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.02.009
- March 7, 2013
- 11:04 PM
- 151 views
Bmal1 Control of Metabolism, Cont'd
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Further evidence that Bmal1 regulates metabolism in a not so good manner.... Read more »
Shi, S., Ansari, T., McGuinness, O., Wasserman, D., & Johnson, C. (2013) Circadian Disruption Leads to Insulin Resistance and Obesity. Current Biology, 23(5), 372-381. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2013.01.048
- February 23, 2013
- 09:43 AM
- 192 views
Short Sleepers Crave Paleo or Paleo Causes Short Sleep?
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Researches have found a link between type of diet vs sleep duration, begging the question of whether amount of sleep predisposes people to eat a certain way or does eating a certain way cause people to sleep a certain amount. In this post, I relate it to my own special diet (paleo) which appears to be associated with short sleep durations, of which does not describe me. Nevertheless, this could be a fruitful (not pun intended) area of research.... Read more »
Grandner, M., Jackson, N., Gerstner, J., & Knutson, K. (2013) Dietary nutrients associated with short and long sleep duration. Data from a nationally representative sample. Appetite, 71-80. DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2013.01.004
- February 19, 2013
- 07:12 PM
- 165 views
Genetic and Tissue-Specific Regulation of Obesity
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Researchers utilized many experimental techniques to determine genetic and tissue regulation of pathological feeding at a systems level, which could be partially rescued by a change in diet!!... Read more »
Paschos GK, Ibrahim S, Song WL, Kunieda T, Grant G, Reyes TM, Bradfield CA, Vaughan CH, Eiden M, Masoodi M.... (2012) Obesity in mice with adipocyte-specific deletion of clock component Arntl. Nature medicine, 18(12), 1768-77. PMID: 23142819
- February 13, 2013
- 05:00 PM
- 185 views
A Singing Mouse?
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Researchers have discovered a complex hierarchy of vocalizations in mice that are often use to establish social dominance and obviously apparent during the pursuit of mates ... Read more »
Arriaga, G., Zhou, E., & Jarvis, E. (2012) Of Mice, Birds, and Men: The Mouse Ultrasonic Song System Has Some Features Similar to Humans and Song-Learning Birds. PLoS ONE, 7(10). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046610
- February 11, 2013
- 05:37 PM
- 213 views
Neural Control of Snacking (in a Rat!!)
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Researchers investigated the neurobiology of snacking in a rat. This experimental aim is no surprise, but the approach is; they used potato chips!!!... Read more »
Hoch, T., Kreitz, S., Gaffling, S., Pischetsrieder, M., & Hess, A. (2013) Manganese-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Mapping of Whole Brain Activity Patterns Associated with the Intake of Snack Food in Ad Libitum Fed Rats. PLoS ONE, 8(2). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055354
- February 1, 2013
- 05:00 PM
- 151 views
Aging, Poor Sleep, and Bad Memory
by Allison in Dormivigilia
A friend of mine has studied the functional relationships between brain anatomy, sleep/wake architecture, and performance on a memory-related task. I wonder how this relationship would hold in individuals with a predisposition to Alzheimer's or chronic traumatic encephalitis... Read more »
Mander BA, Rao V, Lu B, Saletin JM, Lindquist JR, Ancoli-Israel S, Jagust W, & Walker MP. (2013) Prefrontal atrophy, disrupted NREM slow waves and impaired hippocampal-dependent memory in aging. Nature neuroscience. PMID: 23354332
- January 24, 2013
- 05:22 PM
- 147 views
A Neurobiological Secret to PR-ing in the Gym
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Researchers found time-of-day improvements in athletes squatting and benching. The time-of-day handicap (for morning athletes) was rescued by consumption of a pre-workout shake. ... Read more »
Mora-Rodríguez R, García Pallarés J, López-Samanes Á, Ortega JF, & Fernández-Elías VE. (2012) Caffeine ingestion reverses the circadian rhythm effects on neuromuscular performance in highly resistance-trained men. PloS one, 7(4). PMID: 22496767
- January 23, 2013
- 07:00 PM
- 115 views
Adenosine, Sleep, and Seasons
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Researchers further investigated changes in central adenosine release dependent on sleep history. Beyond previous studies, they also found other neuromodulators, particularly excitatory neurotransmitters, that enhance adenosine tone. ... Read more »
Robert Edward Sims*, Houdini Ho Tin Wu, Nicholas Dale. (2013) Sleep-Wake Sensitive Mechanisms of Adenosine Release in the Basal Forebrain of Rodents: An In Vitro Study. PLoS One. info:/
- January 12, 2013
- 05:00 PM
- 124 views
Consequences of Night Shift Work
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Predicted, physiological changes in sleepiness are shown in a computational model of night shift work. I ask, do you really want these people diagnosing and/or treating you or operating heavy machinery?... Read more »
Svetlana Postnova, Peter Robinson, Dmitry Postnov. (2013) Adaptation to Shift Work: Physiologically Based Modeling of the Effects of Lighting and Shifts' Start Time. PLoS One. info:/
- January 7, 2013
- 05:00 PM
- 120 views
Adenosinergic Regulation of Sleep
by All in Dormivigilia
Researchers continue a mechanistic answer for adenosinergic regulation of sleep by looking downstream of adenosine release, focusing specifically on calcium channels. ... Read more »
Landolt HP, Rétey JV, & Adam M. (2012) Reduced neurobehavioral impairment from sleep deprivation in older adults: contribution of adenosinergic mechanisms. Frontiers in neurology, 62. PMID: 22557989
- January 4, 2013
- 05:00 PM
- 143 views
Ingredients of a Central Sleep Potion
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Researchers have addressed a sleep conundrum that has existed since 1913; the search for a natural hypnotic. After investigating the pharmacological and physical makeup of cerebral spinal fluid in people with pathological sleepiness, they came one step closer to finding this billion dollar molecule. ... Read more »
Rye, D., Bliwise, D., Parker, K., Trotti, L., Saini, P., Fairley, J., Freeman, A., Garcia, P., Owens, M., Ritchie, J.... (2012) Modulation of Vigilance in the Primary Hypersomnias by Endogenous Enhancement of GABAA Receptors. Science Translational Medicine, 4(161), 161-161. DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3004685
- December 9, 2012
- 10:00 PM
- 199 views
Publishing Pep Talk
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Sociologists reveal secrets on how to increase your number of paper citations. ... Read more »
Calcagno, V., Demoinet, E., Gollner, K., Guidi, L., Ruths, D., & de Mazancourt, C. (2012) Flows of Research Manuscripts Among Scientific Journals Reveal Hidden Submission Patterns. Science, 338(6110), 1065-1069. DOI: 10.1126/science.1227833
- November 15, 2012
- 03:09 PM
- 200 views
The VLPO, Sleep Loss, and Metabolic Outcomes
by Allison in Dormivigilia
A recent study found that disrupting daily sleep and wake rhythms by ablating a particular brain area and subsequently reducing daily sleep amounts is, in fact, associated with a healthier metabolic profile. Weird, right? ... Read more »
Vetrivelan R, Fuller PM, Yokota S, Lu J, & Saper CB. (2012) Metabolic effects of chronic sleep restriction in rats. Sleep, 35(11), 1511-20. PMID: 23115400
- October 25, 2012
- 03:00 PM
- 222 views
Neury Thursday: Serotonergic Regulation of Sleep-Wake Rhythms via MUA
by Allison in Dormivigilia
Researchers have used multiunit activity to record rapid changes in electrophysiological states in the major sleep-wake areas, particularly when the brain was depleted of serotonin. When this serotonergic depletion occurred, some but not all brain regions were sensitive, identifying those areas that rely on serotonin signaling to maintain robust daily rhythms of spontaneous neuronal activity. ... Read more »
Miyamoto, H., Nakamaru-Ogiso, E., Hamada, K., & Hensch, T. (2012) Serotonergic Integration of Circadian Clock and Ultradian Sleep-Wake Cycles. Journal of Neuroscience, 32(42), 14794-14803. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0793-12.2012
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