BACKGROUND: Large ventral lateral clock neurons (lLNvs) exhibit higher daytime-light-driven spontaneous action-potential firing rates in Drosophila, coinciding with wakefulness and locomotor-activity behavior. To determine whether the lLNvs are involved in arousal and sleep/wake behavior, we examined the effects of altered electrical excitation of the LNvs. RESULTS: LNv-hyperexcited flies reverse the normal day-night firing pattern, showing higher lLNv firing rates at night and pigment-dispersing-factor-mediated enhancement of nocturnal locomotor-activity behavior and reduced quantity and quality of sleep. lLNv hyperexcitation impairs sensory arousal, as shown by physiological and behavioral assays. lLNv-hyperexcited flies lacking sLNvs exhibit robust hyperexcitation-induced increases in nocturnal behavior, suggesting that the sLNvs are not essential for mediation of arousal. CONCLUSIONS: Light-activated lLNvs modulate behavioral arousal and sleep in Drosophila.
BACKGROUND: Large ventral lateral clock neurons (lLNvs) exhibit higher daytime-light-driven spontaneous action-potential firing rates in Drosophila, coinciding with wakefulness and locomotor-activity behavior. To determine whether the lLNvs are involved in arousal and sleep/wake behavior, we examined the effects of altered electrical excitation of the LNvs. RESULTS: LNv-hyperexcited flies reverse the normal day-night firing pattern, showing higher lLNv firing rates at night and pigment-dispersing-factor-mediated enhancement of nocturnal locomotor-activity behavior and reduced quantity and quality of sleep. lLNv hyperexcitation impairs sensory arousal, as shown by physiological and behavioral assays. lLNv-hyperexcited flies lacking sLNvs exhibit robust hyperexcitation-induced increases in nocturnal behavior, suggesting that the sLNvs are not essential for mediation of arousal. CONCLUSIONS: Light-activated lLNvs modulate behavioral arousal and sleep in Drosophila.
Authors: Jose Agosto; James C Choi; Katherine M Parisky; Geoffrey Stilwell; Michael Rosbash; Leslie C Griffith Journal: Nat Neurosci Date: 2008-01-27 Impact factor: 24.884
Authors: Elzbieta Kula-Eversole; Emi Nagoshi; Yuhua Shang; Joseph Rodriguez; Ravi Allada; Michael Rosbash Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2010-07-12 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Yuhua Shang; Nathan C Donelson; Christopher G Vecsey; Fang Guo; Michael Rosbash; Leslie C Griffith Journal: Neuron Date: 2013-10-02 Impact factor: 17.173