The 99th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Pharmacological Society

Chair:Takeo Yoshikawa(Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine), Hiroaki Norimoto(Nagoya University)

Sleep is an essential physiological function required for the maintenance of life, and its regulatory mechanisms are highly complex. In this symposium, we will introduce recent progress in sleep-wake regulation obtained by multilayered approaches. Topics include novel arousal-regulating mechanisms mediated by neuropeptides, the relationship between sleep and metabolism integrated by neuroendocrine systems, and the molecular regulation of REM sleep revealed by the REM sleep-deficient mouse Dreamless, identified through forward genetics. We will also focus on the evolutionary diversity of sleep-regulating circuits clarified by comparative studies across animal species. By combining perspectives at multiple levels, from molecules and neural circuits to whole organisms and species, this symposium aims to deepen our understanding of the fundamental nature of sleep and the pathophysiology of sleep disorders, and to provide a basis for future development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.