Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain.
Pharmacology Unit, Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, Neurosciences Institute, University of Barcelona and Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, 08908 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
Front Neuroendocrinol. 2023 Apr;69:101066. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101066. Epub 2023 Apr 2.
Orexins (also known as hypocretins) are neuropeptides located exclusively in hypothalamic neurons that have extensive projections throughout the central nervous system and bind two different G protein-coupled receptors (OX1R and OX2R). Since its discovery in 1998, the orexin system has gained the interest of the scientific community as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of different pathological conditions. Considering previous basic science research, a dual orexin receptor antagonist, suvorexant, was the first orexin agent to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat insomnia. In this review, we discuss and update the main preclinical and human studies involving the orexin system with several psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. This system constitutes a nice example of how basic scientific research driven by curiosity can be the best route to the generation of new and powerful pharmacological treatments.
食欲素（也称为下丘脑泌素）是一种存在于下丘脑神经元中的神经肽，其在中枢神经系统中有广泛的投射，并与两种不同的 G 蛋白偶联受体（OX1R 和 OX2R）结合。自 1998 年发现以来，食欲素系统作为治疗不同病理状况的潜在治疗靶点引起了科学界的兴趣。考虑到之前的基础科学研究，双重食欲素受体拮抗剂苏沃雷生是第一种被美国食品和药物管理局批准用于治疗失眠的食欲素药物。在这篇综述中，我们讨论并更新了涉及食欲素系统与几种精神和神经退行性疾病的主要临床前和人体研究。该系统为基础科学研究如何在好奇心的驱动下成为产生新的、强大的药理学治疗方法的最佳途径提供了一个很好的例子。
