Rapid eye movement sleep is initiated by basolateral amygdala dopamine signaling in mice

Science. 2022 Mar 4;375(6584):994-1000. doi: 10.1126/science.abl6618. Epub 2022 Mar 3.

Abstract

The sleep cycle is characterized by alternating non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleeps. The mechanisms by which this cycle is generated are incompletely understood. We found that a transient increase of dopamine (DA) in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) during NREM sleep terminates NREM sleep and initiates REM sleep. DA acts on dopamine receptor D2 (Drd2)-expressing neurons in the BLA to induce the NREM-to-REM transition. This mechanism also plays a role in cataplectic attacks-a pathological intrusion of REM sleep into wakefulness-in narcoleptics. These results show a critical role of DA signaling in the BLA in initiating REM sleep and provide a neuronal basis for sleep cycle generation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Basolateral Nuclear Complex / metabolism*
  • Cataplexy / physiopathology
  • Dopamine / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2 / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Sleep / physiology
  • Sleep, REM / physiology*
  • Wakefulness

Substances

  • DRD2 protein, mouse
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2
  • Dopamine