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

我们研究了黑色素浓缩激素(MCH)对睡眠-觉醒周期的影响。脑室注射MCH可缩短觉醒发作时间，增加睡眠发作时间(REM发作时间和非REM发作时间)。据报道，随着海马乙酰胆碱(ACh)含量的增加，睡眠对于巩固记忆是必要的。在本研究中，侧脑室注射MCH增加了海马区ACh的含量。REM发作时间与海马区ACh流出量显著相关。侧脑室注射MCH不改变大脑皮层组胺释放。这些发现表明，MCH可能有助于记忆的巩固。MCH的记忆功能是否参与麻醉状态，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.