The GABAA Receptor RDL Acts in Peptidergic PDF Neurons to Promote Sleep in Drosophila

Feb 24, 2009Current biology : CB

A specific brain receptor helps sleep by working in sleep-related neurons in fruit flies

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Circadian BiologyCircadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

Disruption of the neuropeptide PDF function increases sleep in fruit flies during specific time periods.

  • Flies exhibit sleep characteristics similar to mammals, including immobility and regulated arousal thresholds.
  • The core set of circadian pacemaker neurons expressing PDF plays a significant role in sleep modulation.
  • Disruption of PDF function leads to increased sleep during the late night and the first subjective day in darkness.
  • Genetic pathways regulating sleep in flies show similarities to those in mammals, involving neurotransmitters like GABA.
  • Knockdown of the GABA(A) receptor gene in PDF neurons results in reduced sleep, indicating GABA's role in sleep regulation.
  • GABA activates chloride currents on PDF+ neurons, supporting the idea that GABAergic inhibition regulates arousal-promoting neurons.

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