Stress While Asleep Activates a Neuron Disrupting Healthy Sleep

We are familiar with the idea that stress can interfere with a good night’s sleep, but it’s not just racing thoughts; scientists have now identified how stress activates brain cells at inappropriate times during sleep stages, leading to disrupted and poor-quality rest.

Examining the physiological effects of stress on sleep using a mouse model, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania observed the activity in the preoptic area (POA) of the hypothalamus during natural sleep. Their findings indicated that glutamatergic neurons (VGLUT2) are most active during wakefulness and less active during non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

Understanding the Stages of Sleep

Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep constitutes three stages within the 90-minute sleep cycle, while rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is the fourth stage. Each stage involves a coordinated set of brain and body functions crucial for health and memory.

Under stress, VGLUT2, which is typically subdued during NREM stages, became active, leading to “microarousals” that disrupted the regular sleep cycle. Stimulating the neuron further increased the frequency of these microarousals.

While disrupted sleep affects memory, immune function, emotional regulation, and appetite, it is increasingly associated with an elevated risk of disease and mental health issues.

Shinjae Chung, senior author and assistant professor of neuroscience at UPenn, highlighted the broader impact of a poor night’s sleep on various bodily processes. Although this discovery doesn’t address the root cause, stress, the researchers envision significant potential in targeting VGLUT2 regulation to mitigate these disruptive microarousals.

Targeting VGLUT2 Neurons for Improved Sleep Quality and Potential Therapeutic Approaches

Understanding the biological mechanisms influencing crucial sleep stages, especially in individuals with sleep disorders, anxiety, or PTSD, holds significant implications. Inhibiting VGLUT2 neurons was found to reduce microarousals during NREM sleep and extend periods of restorative sleep.

Jennifer Smith, the first author and a graduate researcher at UPenn, emphasized the potential of targeting glutamatergic neurons in the hypothalamus for developing treatments for stress-related sleep disorders. This approach could be groundbreaking for individuals facing disrupted sleep due to conditions like insomnia or PTSD.

Read the original article on: New atlas

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