Galanin neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic area promote sleep and heat loss in mice

Daniel Kroeger, Gianna Absi, Celia Gagliardi, Sathyajit S. Bandaru, Joseph C. Madara, Loris L. Ferrari, Elda Arrigoni, Heike Münzberg, Thomas E. Scammell, Clifford B. Saper () and Ramalingam Vetrivelan ()
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Daniel Kroeger: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School
Gianna Absi: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School
Celia Gagliardi: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School
Sathyajit S. Bandaru: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School
Joseph C. Madara: Harvard Medical School
Loris L. Ferrari: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School
Elda Arrigoni: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School
Heike Münzberg: Louisiana State University System
Thomas E. Scammell: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School
Clifford B. Saper: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School
Ramalingam Vetrivelan: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract The preoptic area (POA) is necessary for sleep, but the fundamental POA circuits have remained elusive. Previous studies showed that galanin (GAL)- and GABA-producing neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO) express cFos after periods of increased sleep and innervate key wake-promoting regions. Although lesions in this region can produce insomnia, high frequency photostimulation of the POAGAL neurons was shown to paradoxically cause waking, not sleep. Here we report that photostimulation of VLPOGAL neurons in mice promotes sleep with low frequency stimulation (1–4 Hz), but causes conduction block and waking at frequencies above 8 Hz. Further, optogenetic inhibition reduces sleep. Chemogenetic activation of VLPOGAL neurons confirms the increase in sleep, and also reduces body temperature. In addition, chemogenetic activation of VLPOGAL neurons induces short-latency sleep in an animal model of insomnia. Collectively, these findings establish a causal role of VLPOGAL neurons in both sleep induction and heat loss.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06590-7

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