Sleep & metabolism: The multitasking ability of lateral hypothalamic inhibitory circuitries

Abstract

The anatomical and functional mapping of lateral hypothalamic circuits has been limited by the numerous cell types and complex, yet unclear, connectivity. Recent advances in functional dissection of input-output neurons in the lateral hypothalamus have identified subset of inhibitory cells as crucial modulators of both sleep-wake states and metabolism. Here, we summarize these recent studies and discuss the multi-tasking functions of hypothalamic circuitries in integrating sleep and metabolism in the mammalian brain.

Keywords: Food intake; GABA; Histamine; Hypocretin; Melanin concentrating hormone; Metabolism; Orexin; Sleep.