Narcolepsy genes wake up the sleep field
Takahashi, J.S.
Science 285(5436): 2076-2077
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-8075 PMID: 10523205 Document Number: 499777
Two papers published in a recent issue of Cell provide remarkable insights into the mechanisms of sleep. Much is known about the physiological basis of sleep and its relevance to medicine, but its mechanism at the molecular, cellular, and systems levels has baffled researchers. Now, E. Mignot and colleagues report that they have discovered the canine narcolepsy gene, canarc-1. The gene encodes an orphan receptor that has been identified as one of two receptors that bind the neuropeptide orexin. Human narcolepsy is a debilitating disorder that features excessive daytime drowsiness, cataplexy, and an alteration in the expression of and entry into REM sleep. The new research opens up the possibility of developing a drug to treat the disease.