Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Exp Neurol. 2013 May;243:21-7. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2012.10.011. Epub 2012 Oct 23.
Daily rhythms in neural activity underlie circadian rhythms in sleep-wake and other daily behaviors. The cells within the mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) are intrinsically capable of 24-h timekeeping. These cells synchronize with each other and with local environmental cycles to drive coherent rhythms in daily behaviors. Recent studies have identified a small number of neuropeptides critical for this ability to synchronize and sustain coordinated daily rhythms. This review highlights the roles of specific intracellular and intercellular signals within the SCN that underlie circadian synchrony.
神经活动的日常节律是睡眠-觉醒和其他日常行为的昼夜节律的基础。哺乳动物视交叉上核(SCN)内的细胞具有内在的 24 小时计时能力。这些细胞彼此同步,并与局部环境周期同步,以驱动日常行为的连贯节律。最近的研究已经确定了少数几种神经肽对于这种同步和维持协调的日常节律的能力至关重要。本综述强调了 SCN 内特定的细胞内和细胞间信号在昼夜同步中的作用。