| First Author | Liu K | Year | 2017 |
| Journal | Nature | Volume | 548 |
| Issue | 7669 | Pages | 582-587 |
| PubMed ID | 28847002 | Mgi Jnum | J:247569 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5927570 | Doi | 10.1038/nature23663 |
| Citation | Liu K, et al. (2017) Lhx6-positive GABA-releasing neurons of the zona incerta promote sleep. Nature 548(7669):582-587 |
| abstractText | Multiple populations of wake-promoting neurons have been characterized in mammals, but few sleep-promoting neurons have been identified. Wake-promoting cell types include hypocretin and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric-acid)-releasing neurons of the lateral hypothalamus, which promote the transition to wakefulness from non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Here we show that a subset of GABAergic neurons in the mouse ventral zona incerta, which express the LIM homeodomain factor Lhx6 and are activated by sleep pressure, both directly inhibit wake-active hypocretin and GABAergic cells in the lateral hypothalamus and receive inputs from multiple sleep-wake-regulating neurons. Conditional deletion of Lhx6 from the developing diencephalon leads to decreases in both NREM and REM sleep. Furthermore, selective activation and inhibition of Lhx6-positive neurons in the ventral zona incerta bidirectionally regulate sleep time in adult mice, in part through hypocretin-dependent mechanisms. These studies identify a GABAergic subpopulation of neurons in the ventral zona incerta that promote sleep. |
