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Intracellular energy status regulates activity in hypocretin/orexin neurones: a link between energy and behavioural states
Author(s) -
Liu ZhongWu,
Gan Geliang,
Suyama Shigetomo,
Gao XiaoBing
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.212514
Subject(s) - orexin , intracellular , wakefulness , lateral hypothalamus , orexin a , hypothalamus , chemistry , medicine , membrane potential , endocrinology , adenosine triphosphate , biophysics , microbiology and biotechnology , neuroscience , biology , neuropeptide , biochemistry , receptor , electroencephalography
Non‐technical summary A growing body of evidence has shown that energy status has a significant impact on the behavioural states in animals and that the availability of nutrients (energy state) in the brain may modulate animal behaviours. In this study, we report that the intracellular energy stores determine activity in a selective group of nerve cells (hypocretin‐containing neurones) in the brain. The unique energy state of hypocretin neurones correlates with behavioural states of animals, i.e. the energy level is low during sleep and high during wakefulness. These results suggest that hypocretin neurones may act as an ‘energy gauge’ in the brain, which integrates nutritional, energetic and behavioural signals critical for the survival of animals.