Siegel Jerome M
Center for Sleep Research, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 91343, USA.
J Clin Psychiatry. 2004;65 Suppl 16(Suppl 16):4-7.
The part of the brain most important in regulating sleep duration is the hypothalamus. Certain groups of hypothalamic neurons and adjacent groups of basal forebrain neurons produce the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Projections of these GABA neurons inhibit the firing of cells involved in wakefulness. Several groups of neurons have been shown to be inhibited by this action--including neurons containing histamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, hypocretin, and glutamate--and this inhibition promotes sleep. Hypocretin (also called orexin) was discovered in 1998, and its role in sleep and narcolepsy was identified in 2001. Other as-yet undiscovered transmitters are undoubtedly involved in sleep control. The transmitters discussed in this article have been the most thoroughly studied, and many aspects of the role of each of these transmitters in relation to sleep are reasonably well understood.
大脑中对调节睡眠时间最重要的部分是下丘脑。下丘脑的某些神经元群和相邻的基底前脑神经元群会产生神经递质γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）。这些GABA神经元的投射会抑制参与觉醒的细胞的放电。几组神经元已被证明会受到这种作用的抑制，包括含有组胺、去甲肾上腺素、5-羟色胺、下丘脑分泌素和谷氨酸的神经元，这种抑制会促进睡眠。下丘脑分泌素（也称为食欲素）于1998年被发现，其在睡眠和发作性睡病中的作用于2001年被确定。其他尚未被发现的递质无疑也参与睡眠控制。本文讨论的递质是研究最深入的，并且这些递质中每一种与睡眠相关的作用的许多方面都得到了较好的理解。
