Li Nanxi, Huang Lishan, Zhang Bin, Zhu Wenwen, Dai Wenbin, Li Sen, Xu Houping
Geriatric Department, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
Division of Spine Surgery, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University.
Brain Res. 2025 Mar 1;1850:149408. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149408. Epub 2024 Dec 19.
Since the discovery of orexin/hypocretin, numerous studies have accumulated evidence demonstrating its key role in various aspects of neuromodulation, including addiction, motivation, and arousal. This paper focuses on the projection of orexin neurons to specific target brain regions through distinct neural pathways to regulate sleep and arousal. We provide a detailed discussion of the projection mechanisms of orexin neurons to downstream neurons, particularly emphasizing their activation of monoaminergic and cholinergic neurons associated with arousal. Additionally, we briefly explore the immune response and inflammatory factors linked to the loss of orexin neurons. Our findings underscore the significance of understanding specific neural projections in the generation and maintenance of arousal, which could guide advancements in neuroscience and lead to new therapeutic opportunities for treating insomnia or narcolepsy.
自从发现食欲素/下丘脑泌素以来，众多研究积累了证据，证明其在神经调节的各个方面发挥关键作用，包括成瘾、动机和觉醒。本文聚焦于食欲素神经元通过不同神经通路投射到特定目标脑区以调节睡眠和觉醒。我们详细讨论了食欲素神经元向下游神经元的投射机制，特别强调它们对与觉醒相关的单胺能和胆碱能神经元的激活作用。此外，我们简要探讨了与食欲素神经元缺失相关的免疫反应和炎症因子。我们的研究结果强调了理解特定神经投射在觉醒的产生和维持中的重要性，这可为神经科学的进展提供指导，并为治疗失眠或发作性睡病带来新的治疗机会。
