Insomnia - body clock ‘reset button’ found
Cambridge University researchers have identified a small molecule that appears to play a major role in making our body clocks tick. Studies in mice have shown cAMP - a common signalling molecule - is involved in keeping the body clock “rhythms” going (circadian rhythms).
The body’s internal clock is a highly sensitive mechanism able to anticipate changes in the environment and regulate a host of body functions, from sleep patterns to metabolism and behaviour. Disruption of these circadian rhythms have been shown to be linked with insomnia, depression, heart disease, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.
At the beginning of the circadian day, genes are switched on which then produce proteins which in turn go on to switch off the same genes at the end of the day. The proteins are broken down over the circadian night and the process starts all over again in the morning. The researchers discovered that cAMP not only helps regulate the production of these proteins but that its own rhythm is also regulated by this “loop”.
The team hope to develop drugs that target cAMP to help shift workers, frequent flyers or those with sleep disorders reset their body clocks.
However, the research is some way off from being used in sleep clinics.
Elaine Warburton www.geneticsandhealth.com
Tags: Genes, Genetics of Disease, insomniaRelated Stories
POSTED IN: General Genetics and Health, Genes, Genetics of Disease
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