Hypothalamic oxexin-synthesizing neurons regulate the ultradian Basic Rest-Activity Cycle (BRAC); studies in transgenic rats and mice

在大脑的下丘脑区，有一组神经元合成一种名为食欲素的神经肽信使。在人类中，食欲素神经元的功能障碍会导致嗜睡症(异常嗜睡)和代谢紊乱，从而导致肥胖。我们在转基因大鼠和小鼠身上进行的实验，将阐明食欲素神经元将我们的行为(如进食)与我们的生理状态(如身体和大脑温度、动脉血压)相结合的方式。

In the hypothalamus region of the brain there is a group of neurons that synthesize a neuropeptide messenger called orexin. In humans, malfunction of orexin neurons results in narcolepsy (abnormal sleepiness) and in disordered metabolism resulting in obesity. Our experiments, conducted in genetically-modified rats and mice, will elucidate the manner in which the orexin neurons integrate our behaviour (eg eating) with our physiological state (eg body and brain temperature, arterial blood pressure).