Functions and Mechanism of Sleep in Flies and Mammals
Abstract
The Sleep Consortium at Brandeis consists of 6 PIs, who naturally group into three subsets. Rosbash and Griffith are collaborating on sleep studies in flies (Drosophila melanogaster). The two projects are investigating how drugs affect sleep and have identified the GABA(a) Receptor gene Rdl as a likely drug target for carbamazepine, a drug which enhances locomotor activity in a dose dependent manner. Preliminary results indicate the inhibitory system potentiates sleep in flies like in mammals, which is the first indication for a role of this system in flies. Birren and Nelson are both interested in specific gene expression in defined subsets of sleep-related neurons as a function of sleep state. These groups will use similar microarray technology, developed and perfected in the Nelson laboratory. Nelson and has perfected RNA isolation, amplification and hybridization from cortical layer 5 pyramidal neurons for microarray analysis of cell-type specific gene expression and has also designed and built an apparatus to implement a sleep deprivation technique in mice. Birren has determined that the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene is modulated by sleep deprivation in the basal forebrain and has carried out a pilot DNA microarray screen using probes from sleep-deprived and control rat cortex. Turrigiano's and Katz's goal is to understand how plasticity and learning are related to sleep and are focusing on live recording from neurons during task performance and/or development. They have successfully miniaturized electrode arrays for young rats. Katz meanwhile has successfully recorded simultaneous cortical oscillations from amygdala, hippocampus, and cortical layers. In sum good progress is being made on all fronts.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA433408
Entities
People
- Michael Rosbash
Organizations
- Brandeis University