A novel GABAergic population in the medial vestibular nucleus maintains wakefulness and gates rapid eye movement sleep

Body rocking can either induce sleep or arousal. That is, the vestibular sense influences sleep-wake states. Neuronal interactions between sleep-wake systems and vestibular systems, however, remain unclear. In this study, we found that GABAergic neurons in the lateral part of the medial vestibular n...

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Published in:iScience 2024-03, Vol.27 (3), p.109289-109289, Article 109289
Main Authors: Nakatsuka, Daiki, Kanda, Takeshi, Sato, Makito, Ishikawa, Yukiko, Cherasse, Yoan, Yanagisawa, Masashi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavioral neuroscience
Biochemistry
Biological sciences
Cell biology
Natural sciences
Neuroscience
Systems neuroscienc
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Summary:Body rocking can either induce sleep or arousal. That is, the vestibular sense influences sleep-wake states. Neuronal interactions between sleep-wake systems and vestibular systems, however, remain unclear. In this study, we found that GABAergic neurons in the lateral part of the medial vestibular nucleus (LMVN), a primary vestibular afferent projection site, control sleep-wake states. Specific inhibition of LMVN GABAergic neurons revealed that the firing of LMVN GABAergic neurons underlies stable wakefulness and smooth transitions from non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and that LMVN GABAergic neurons do not affect body balance control in freely moving conditions. Selective axonal tracing of LMVN GABAergic neurons indicated that LMVN GABAergic neurons send axons not only to areas involved in vestibular and oculomotor functions but also to areas regulating sleep-wake states. Our findings suggest that LMVN GABAergic neurons stabilize wakefulness and gate the entry into REM sleep through the use of vestibular information. [Display omitted] •Discovery of a novel sleep/wake-regulatory population: LMVN GABAergic neurons•LMVN GABAergic neurons stabilize wakefulness•LMVN GABAergic neurons gate the entry into REM sleep in the light phase•LMVN GABAergic neurons project to the sleep/wake-related areas Behavioral neuroscience; Biochemistry; Biological sciences; Cell biology; Natural sciences; Neuroscience; Systems neuroscienc
ISSN:2589-0042
2589-0042
DOI:10.1016/j.isci.2024.109289