Sleepiness Can Be in the Genes

U.S. researchers find 24-hour body clock genes influence not only the timing of sleep, but also the restorative process of sleep.

The study, published in the BMC Neuroscience, identified changes in the brain that lead to the increased desire and need for sleep during time spent awake.

We have found that clock gene expression in the brain is highly correlated to the buildup of sleep debt, while previous findings have linked these genes to energy metabolism, Dr. Bruce O’Hara of the University of Kentucky, said in a statement.Together, this supports the idea that one function of sleep is related to energy metabolism.

The study used three inbred strains of mice with different genetic makeups previously shown to differ in their response to sleep deprivation.

The mice were first sleep deprived during the daytime period when mice normally sleep then allowed recovery sleep. Clock gene expression generally increased the more the mice were kept awake and decreased when sleep was allowed — indicating these genes play a role in the regulation of the need for sleep.