The neurons involved in the poor sleep associated with drinking alcohol identified in a fruit fly study
Heavy drinkers are more likely than non- or occasional drinkers to suffer insomnia. Falling asleep might not be the problem, but staying asleep can be. And, this alcohol-induced insomnia can persist long after a person quits drinking, making the effort to stay sober doubly hard. The effects of alcohol on fruit flies are similar to those on humans. It causes inebriation, leads to tolerance with repeated exposures and, according to recent research, can induce insomnia. In flies, certain brain regions linked to this latter effect have been identified (the central green shapes, known as mushroom bodies). Indeed, reducing the activity of the mushroom body cholinergic neurons, exacerbated the disruptive effects of alcohol on the insects’ sleep. The similarities between flies and humans suggests the insects are great models not only for studying alcohol’s effects, but maybe even for developing better, more targeted sleep medications.
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