Abstract
Hypocretin neuropeptides have been shown to regulate transitions between wakefulness and sleep through stabilization of sleep promoting GABAergic and wake promoting cholinergic/monoaminergic neural pathways. Hypocretin also influences other physiologic processes such as metabolism, appetite, learning and memory, reward and addiction, and ventilatory drive. The discovery of hypocretin and its effect upon the sleep-wake cycle has led to the development of a new class of pharmacologic agents that antagonize the physiologic effects of hypocretin (i.e. hypocretin antagonists). Further investigation of these agents may lead to novel therapies for insomnia without the side-effect profile of currently available hypnotics (e.g. impaired cognition, confusional arousals, and motor balance difficulties). However, antagonizing a system that regulates the sleep-wake cycle while also influencing non-sleep physiologic processes may create an entirely different but equally concerning side-effect profile such as transient loss of muscle tone (i.e. cataplexy) and a dampened respiratory drive. In this review, we will discuss the discovery of hypocretin and its receptors, hypocretin and the sleep-wake cycle, hypocretin antagonists in the treatment of insomnia, and other implicated functions of the hypocretin system.
Keywords: Hypocretin, orexin, insomnia, narcolepsy, cataplexy, sleep, MK-4305, almorexant, magnocellular, appetite, amygdala, tuberomammillary, dynorphin, isoquinolin, histamine, hypercapnic, cognition, morphine
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title: Hypocretin Antagonists in Insomnia Treatment and Beyond
Volume: 17 Issue: 15
Author(s): Chad Ruoff, Michelle Cao and Christian Guilleminault
Affiliation:
Keywords: Hypocretin, orexin, insomnia, narcolepsy, cataplexy, sleep, MK-4305, almorexant, magnocellular, appetite, amygdala, tuberomammillary, dynorphin, isoquinolin, histamine, hypercapnic, cognition, morphine
Abstract: Hypocretin neuropeptides have been shown to regulate transitions between wakefulness and sleep through stabilization of sleep promoting GABAergic and wake promoting cholinergic/monoaminergic neural pathways. Hypocretin also influences other physiologic processes such as metabolism, appetite, learning and memory, reward and addiction, and ventilatory drive. The discovery of hypocretin and its effect upon the sleep-wake cycle has led to the development of a new class of pharmacologic agents that antagonize the physiologic effects of hypocretin (i.e. hypocretin antagonists). Further investigation of these agents may lead to novel therapies for insomnia without the side-effect profile of currently available hypnotics (e.g. impaired cognition, confusional arousals, and motor balance difficulties). However, antagonizing a system that regulates the sleep-wake cycle while also influencing non-sleep physiologic processes may create an entirely different but equally concerning side-effect profile such as transient loss of muscle tone (i.e. cataplexy) and a dampened respiratory drive. In this review, we will discuss the discovery of hypocretin and its receptors, hypocretin and the sleep-wake cycle, hypocretin antagonists in the treatment of insomnia, and other implicated functions of the hypocretin system.
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Cite this article as:
Ruoff Chad, Cao Michelle and Guilleminault Christian, Hypocretin Antagonists in Insomnia Treatment and Beyond, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2011; 17 (15) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161211796197089
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161211796197089 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
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