Zisapel N
Department of Neurobiochemistry, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Cell Mol Life Sci. 2007 May;64(10):1174-86. doi: 10.1007/s00018-007-6529-9.
Sleep is a neurochemical process involving sleep promoting and arousal centers in the brain. Sleep performs an essential restorative function and facilitates memory consolidation in humans. The remarkably standardized bouts of consolidated sleep at night and daytime wakefulness reflect an interaction between the homeostatic sleep need that is manifested by increase in sleep propensity after sleep deprivation and decrease during sleep and the circadian pacemaker. Melatonin, the hormone produced nocturnally by the pineal gland, serves as a time cue and sleep-anticipating signal. A close interaction exists between the sleep-wake, melatonin, core temperature, blood pressure, immune and hormonal rhythms leading to optimization of the internal temporal order. With age the robustness of the circadian system decreases and the prevalence of sleep disorders, particularly insomnia, increases. Deviant sleep patterns are associated with increased risks of morbidity, poor quality of life and mortality. Current sleep pharmacotherapies treat insufficient sleep quantity, but fail to improve daytime functioning. New treatment modalities for sleep disorders that will also improve daytime functioning remain a scientific and medical challenge.
睡眠是一个神经化学过程，涉及大脑中促进睡眠和觉醒的中枢。睡眠具有重要的恢复功能，并有助于人类巩固记忆。夜间高度标准化的连续睡眠时段和白天的清醒状态反映了稳态睡眠需求与昼夜节律起搏器之间的相互作用，稳态睡眠需求表现为睡眠剥夺后睡眠倾向增加而睡眠期间睡眠倾向降低。褪黑素是松果体夜间分泌的一种激素，充当时间线索和睡眠预期信号。睡眠 - 觉醒、褪黑素、核心体温、血压、免疫和激素节律之间存在密切的相互作用，从而优化内部时间秩序。随着年龄的增长，昼夜节律系统的稳健性下降，睡眠障碍尤其是失眠的患病率增加。异常的睡眠模式与发病风险增加、生活质量差和死亡率相关。目前的睡眠药物疗法可治疗睡眠量不足，但无法改善日间功能。能够改善日间功能的睡眠障碍新治疗方式仍然是一项科学和医学挑战。
