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