PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

How bright-light treatment improves sleep in stressed mice

A 3-step pathway passing through the habenula regulates non-REM sleep in chronic stress

2023-09-07
(Press-News.org) Chronic stress is associated with sleep disturbance. In their new study, Lu Huang and colleagues identify the neural pathway behind this behavior, and at the same time, explain how bright-light treatment is able to counter it. The research was conducted in mice at Jinan University in China and published September 7th in the open access journal PLOS Biology.

Bright-light treatment is known to improve sleep in those with sleep disorders, but how it works – and whether it works in cases of stress-induced sleep disturbances – was unknown. The researchers hypothesized that a part of the brain called the lateral habenula is deeply involved in this phenomenon because it both receives light signals from the eyes and can influence other parts of the brain that regulate sleep. To test this theory and fully characterize the neural pathway, the team performed a series of chemogenetic and optogenetic studies in a mouse model of chronic stress, which also showed irregular sleep. Specifically, chronic stress led to higher-than-normal amounts of non-REM sleep, which could be eliminated with bright-light treatment.

As hypothesized, the lateral habenula influenced the effects of stress on sleep. Its chemogenetic inhibition in stressed mice prevented the unusual high amounts of non-REM sleep, and on the flip side, its chronic activation in un-stressed mice resulted in extra non-REM sleep. Next, by separately activating habenular neurons that send signals to different regions of the brain, the researchers were able to identify the connection between the habenula and the rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMT) as critical. Activating only these neurons mimicked the effects of stress on sleep, while inhibiting them in stressed mice mimicked the effects of bright-light treatment.

Lastly, the researchers showed that light-sensitive neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) naturally inhibit the habenula-RMT neurons, which explains why bright-light treatment can reduce stress-induced abnormalities in non-REM sleep. Understanding how bright-light treatment works can help devise optimal light treatments and perhaps pharmacological interventions targeting this pathway.

Coauthor Chaoran Ren adds, “A circuit mechanism has been identified that explains the effects of bright light treatment on sleep disruptions induced by chronic stress in mice.”

#####

In your coverage, please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper in PLOS Biology: http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3002282  

Citation: Huang L, Chen X, Tao Q, Wang X, Huang X, Fu Y, et al. (2023) Bright light treatment counteracts stress-induced sleep alterations in mice, via a visual circuit related to the rostromedial tegmental nucleus. PLoS Biol 21(8): e3002282. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002282

Author Countries: China

Funding: This work was supported by STI2030-Major Projects (https://www.most.gov.cn/index.html) (2021ZD0203100 to CRR), National Natural Science Foundation of China (https://www.nsfc.gov.cn) (31922030, 32171010 and 31771170 to CRR; 32171009 to LH; 81870823 to XRS), Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (http://gdstc.gd.gov.cn) (2023B1515040010 to CRR; 2021B1515020035 to LH), Science and Technology Program of Guangdong (http://gdstc.gd.gov.cn) (2018B030334001 to CRR), Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou (http://kjj.gz.gov.cn) (202007030012 to CRR), Young Elite Scientist Sponsorship Program By CAST (https://www.cast.org.cn) (YESS20210181 to LH), Guangzhou Health Science and technology project (http://wjw.gz.gov.cn) (202102010325 to XC), Programme of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities (http://www.moe.gov.cn) (B14036 to FKS). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Lack of evidence hampers progress on corporate-led ecosystem restoration

Lack of evidence hampers progress on corporate-led ecosystem restoration
2023-09-07
A ‘near total’ lack of transparency is making it impossible to assess the quality of corporate-led ecosystem restoration projects, according to a Lancaster University-led study published today in Science. Efforts to rebuild degraded environments are vital for achieving global biodiversity targets. The United Nations has launched a Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and in recent years businesses around the world have collectively pledged to plant billions of trees, hundreds of thousands of corals and tens of ...

Implantable device enables earlier detection of kidney transplant failure in rats

2023-09-07
An implantable sensor provided advanced warning of kidney transplant failure in rats as much as several weeks earlier than commonly used biomarkers of kidney function, researchers report. The device, tested in a rat model of kidney transplantation, provides real-time continuous monitoring of organ temperature and thermal conductivity, detecting inflammatory processes associated with graft rejection. Although lifesaving for patients with end-stage kidney disease, long-term kidney transplantation survival remains a major challenge. Graft failure ...

2022 Hunga-Tonga eruption triggered fast and destructive submarine volcanic flows

2023-09-07
In 2022, the eruption of the submerged Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha apai volcano triggered a fast-moving and destructive underwater debris flow that severed telecommunication cables and reshaped the surrounding seafloor. The findings – representing some of the first fieldwork to document what happens when large volumes of erupted volcanic material are delivered directly into the ocean – provide new insights into the behavior and hazards of submerged volcanoes. Explosive volcanic eruptions on land create pyroclastic flows of hot ash and rock that, when they reach the ocean, can trigger damaging ...

Are large corporations upholding their conservation promises?

2023-09-07
Large transnational corporations (TNCs) are positioning themselves as environmental leaders, carrying out environmental restoration projects that go beyond their legal obligations. However, some corporations oversell their efforts. In this Policy Forum, Timothy Lamont and colleagues present an evaluation of sustainability reports of 100 of the world’s largest businesses, revealing the extent to which TNCs are claiming to contribute to, but failing to report on, ecosystem restoration. “Increased rigor, consistency, transparency, and accountability are needed to ensure that corporate-led restoration delivers quantifiable, ...

Nudging food delivery customers to skip the fork drastically cuts plastic waste, study shows

2023-09-07
In 2021, more than 400 million metric tons of plastic waste were produced worldwide, and it is predicted that the world’s plastic waste growth will continue to outpace the efforts to reduce plastic pollution in the coming decades. As food delivery services became increasingly popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, the surge in plastic waste generated by single-use cutlery has become a key environmental challenge for many countries. A new study finds “green nudges” that encouraged customers to skip asking for cutlery with their delivery orders were dramatically successful and could be a powerful policy tool to reduce plastic waste. “Few policies target plastic waste ...

First device to monitor transplanted organs detects early signs of rejection

First device to monitor transplanted organs detects early signs of rejection
2023-09-07
A body can reject a transplanted organ at any time — even decades later Signs of rejection must be caught early to intervene, preserve the organ Current monitoring methods are intermittent, imperfect and sometimes invasive New implant offers continuous monitoring by tracking the organ’s temperature When temperatures change, an alert is sent to a smartphone or tablet in real time EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern University researchers have developed the first electronic device for continuously monitoring ...

Fiber from crustaceans, insects, mushrooms promotes digestion

2023-09-07
Who can forget the stomach-churning moments when “Survivor” contestants forced down crunchy insects, among other unappetizing edibles, for a chance to win $1 million? In daring culinary challenges, the TV show’s contestants exhibited gastronomic bravery as viewers watched in discomfort. Digesting a crunchy critter starts with the audible grinding of its rigid protective covering — the exoskeleton. Unpalatable as it may sound, the hard cover might be good for the metabolism, according to a new study, in mice, from Washington University School of Medicine ...

They fall more easily for conspiracy theories

They fall more easily for conspiracy theories
2023-09-07
People who primarily use their own gut feeling to determine what is true and false are more likely to believe conspiracy theories. That is the conclusion of researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, who have investigated the relationship between susceptibility to misleading information and the conviction that the truth is relative.  “I think many people who emphasise a more relativistic view of what truth is mean well. They believe that it’s important that everyone should be able to make their voice heard. But these results show that such a view can actually be quite dangerous,” says PhD student ...

Almoosa Specialist Hospital is first to be certified as a Comprehensive Chest Pain Center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

2023-09-07
DALLAS and Al Mubarraz, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, September 7, 2023 — Almoosa Specialist Hospital, in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia has been recognized by the American Heart Association, the world's leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, as a the first Comprehensive Chest Pain Center in the country. This designation signifies the hospital’s status as a critical element in the kingdom’s effort to create a system of healthcare that seeks to save lives in Saudi Arabia by closing the gaps ...

Psilocybin – a promising therapy for treatment-resistant depression?

2023-09-07
September 7, 2023 – A growing body of evidence suggests that psychedelic drugs may be useful in treating various mental health conditions. However, many challenges remain in defining their clinical benefits and overcoming the complex regulatory obstacles to their use. The September issue of Journal of Psychiatric Practice presents a research review and update on therapeutic use of psychedelics – focusing on the use of psilocybin for treatment of depression. The journal is published in ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

A third of licensed GPs in England not working in NHS general practice

ChatGPT “thought on the fly” when put through Ancient Greek maths puzzle

Engineers uncover why tiny particles form clusters in turbulent air

GLP-1RA drugs dramatically reduce death and cardiovascular risk in psoriasis patients

Psoriasis linked to increased risk of vision-threatening eye disease, study finds

Reprogramming obesity: New drug from Italian biotech aims to treat the underlying causes of obesity

Type 2 diabetes may accelerate development of multiple chronic diseases, particularly in the early stages, UK Biobank study suggests

Resistance training may improve nerve health, slow aging process, study shows

Common and inexpensive medicine halves the risk of recurrence in patients with colorectal cancer

SwRI-built instruments to monitor, provide advanced warning of space weather events

Breakthrough advances sodium-based battery design

New targeted radiation therapy shows near-complete response in rare sarcoma patients

Does physical frailty contribute to dementia?

Soccer headers and brain health: Study finds changes within folds of the brain

Decoding plants’ language of light

UNC Greensboro study finds ticks carrying Lyme disease moving into western NC

New implant restores blood pressure balance after spinal cord injury

New York City's medical specialist advantage may be an illusion, new NYU Tandon research shows

Could a local anesthetic that doesn’t impair motor function be within reach?

1 in 8 Italian cetacean strandings show evidence of fishery interactions, with bottlenose and striped dolphins most commonly affected, according to analysis across four decades of data and more than 5

In the wild, chimpanzees likely ingest the equivalent of several alcoholic drinks every day

Warming of 2°C intensifies Arctic carbon sink but weakens Alpine sink, study finds

Bronze and Iron Age cultures in the Middle East were committed to wine production

Indian adolescents are mostly starting their periods at an earlier age than 25 years ago

Temporary medical centers in Gaza known as "Medical Points" (MPs) treat an average of 117 people daily with only about 7 staff per MP

Rates of alcohol-induced deaths among the general population nearly doubled from 1999 to 2024

PLOS One study: In adolescent lab animals exposed to cocaine, High-Intensity Interval Training boosts aversion to the drug

Scientists identify four ways our bodies respond to COVID-19 vaccines

Stronger together: A new fusion protein boosts cancer immunotherapy

Hidden brain waves as triggers for post-seizure wandering

[Press-News.org] How bright-light treatment improves sleep in stressed mice
A 3-step pathway passing through the habenula regulates non-REM sleep in chronic stress