GABA and glutamate neurons in the VTA regulate sleep and wakefulness Xiao Yu Wen Li Ying Ma Kyoko Tossell Julia J Harris Edward C Harding Wei Ba Giulia Miracca Dan Wang Long Li Juan Guo Ming Chen Yuqi Li Raquel Yustos Alexei L Vyssotski Denis Burdakov Qianzi Yang Hailong Dong Nicholas P Franks William Wisden 10779/crick.11410113.v1 https://crick.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/GABA_and_glutamate_neurons_in_the_VTA_regulate_sleep_and_wakefulness/11410113 We screened for novel circuits in the mouse brain that promote wakefulness. Chemogenetic activation experiments and electroencephalogram recordings pointed to glutamatergic/nitrergic (NOS1) and GABAergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Activating glutamatergic/NOS1 neurons, which were wake- and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep-active, produced wakefulness through projections to the nucleus accumbens and the lateral hypothalamus. Lesioning the glutamate cells impaired the consolidation of wakefulness. By contrast, activation of GABAergic VTA neurons elicited long-lasting non-rapid-eye-movement-like sleep resembling sedation. Lesioning these neurons produced an increase in wakefulness that persisted for at least 4 months. Surprisingly, these VTA GABAergic neurons were wake- and REM sleep-active. We suggest that GABAergic VTA neurons may limit wakefulness by inhibiting the arousal-promoting VTA glutamatergic and/or dopaminergic neurons and through projections to the lateral hypothalamus. Thus, in addition to its contribution to goal- and reward-directed behaviors, the VTA has a role in regulating sleep and wakefulness. 2019-12-19 18:05:04 Animals Dopaminergic Neurons GABAergic Neurons Glutamic Acid Mice Neurons Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I Sleep Sleep, REM Ventral Tegmental Area Wakefulness Burdakov FC001055 Neurology & Neurosurgery 1109 Neurosciences 1702 Cognitive Sciences 1701 Psychology