Adenosine, Energy Metabolism, and Sleep

While the exact function of sleep remains unknown, it is evident that sleep was developed early in phylogenesis and represents an ancient and vital strategy for survival. Several pieces of evidence suggest that the function of sleep is associated with energy metabolism, saving of energy, and repleni...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tarja Porkka-Heiskanen, Anna Kalinchuk, Lauri Alanko, Anna Urrila, Dag Stenberg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2003-01-01
Series:The Scientific World Journal
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2003.65
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Summary:While the exact function of sleep remains unknown, it is evident that sleep was developed early in phylogenesis and represents an ancient and vital strategy for survival. Several pieces of evidence suggest that the function of sleep is associated with energy metabolism, saving of energy, and replenishment of energy stores. Prolonged wakefulness induces signs of energy depletion in the brain, while experimentally induced, local energy depletion induces increase in sleep, similarly as would a period of prolonged wakefulness. The key molecule in the induction of sleep appears to be adenosine, which induces sleep locally in the basal forebrain.
ISSN:1537-744X