New discovery indicates that enzyme causes after-effects of sleep deprivation

The results of a bad night’s sleep - sluggishness, forgetfulness, and bad work performance - can impact on the rest of a person’s day. Now, researchers have determined that a particular enzyme in the brain is the reason why lack of sleep affects us.

The team, lead by Robbert Havekes, used sleep-deprived mice to observe that a specific molecular mechanism in the hippocampus, the area in which new memories are consolidated, was affected by the lack of sleep. There were increased levels and activity of the enzyme PDE4 detected in the mice, as well as lower levels of the molecule cAMP. cAMP is an important component in the brain, helping us to form new brain cells and strengthen old ones – without which we would not be able to learn new things.

By inhibiting the activity of the PDE4 enzyme, the researchers were able to prevent the activity of the cAMP molecule from being blocked. As a result, PDE4 was unable to stop the process of cAMP in the hippocampus. It is the first report of scientists being able to save synaptic plasticity (the power to create and maintain new synaptic connections) from the effects of sleep deprivation.

Further research could explore the applications of producing drugs, which encourage the activity of cAMP, in order to counteract the effects of sleep deprivation.

For more information on the research, contact Kim van den Wijngaard at nwo_nieuws@nwo.nl

Published: Tuesday, 15th December 2009 by Tom Freeman

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