Switch off and sleep
05 August 2016 - 09:54
Scientists aim to develop a pill to help insomniacs after discovering the brain switch that triggers sleep. Oxford University researchers found that what they call the "Sandman" switch is triggered by falls in levels of the dopamine chemical, which keeps people awake. They were studying how the brain suddenly switches off in sleep.Sleep is ruled by the circadian clock, which monitors the time of day and the "sleep homeostat", which can trigger sleepiness even when it is not dark.The team studied the sleep homeostat in brains of fruit flies, thought to have the same sleep-control neurons as humans. They think a drug that flicks the switch could make for an efficient sleeping pill. ..
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