A new approach to explore the mechanism of anesthesia-induced unconsciousness. - The role of the hypothalamic MCH neurons -

本文研究了黑色素浓集激素（MCH）对睡眠-觉醒周期的影响。侧脑室注射MCH可缩短清醒发作时间，而增加睡眠发作时间（REM和nonREM发作时间）。已有研究表明，睡眠对记忆的巩固是必要的，海马乙酰胆碱（ACh）的含量增加。在本研究中，icv注射MCH增加海马ACh。REM发作时间与海马ACh流出量显著相关。ICV注射MCH不改变皮质组胺释放。这些发现表明，MCH可能有助于巩固记忆。MCH的记忆功能是否与麻醉状态有关还需进一步的实验研究。

We investigated the effects of melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) on sleep-wake cycle. Intraventricular (icv) injection of MCH decreased the waking episode time, whereas it increased the sleep episode time (REM & nonREM episode time). It has been reported that sleep is necessary for consolidation of memory with increasing the hippocampal acetylcholine (ACh). In the present study, icv injection of MCH increased the hippocampal ACh. There was a significant correlation between REM episode time and hippocampal ACh effluxes. Icv injection of MCH did not alter the cortical histamine release. These findings suggest that MCH may contribute to the consolidation of memory. Further experiment is necessary to explore whether the memory function of MCH may be involved in the anesthetic state.