Brain molecule may improve sleep

Millions of people around the world struggle with insomnia and other sleep problems.

Now scientists in China have identified a natural brain molecule that may help explain how the body knows when it is time to sleep.

The discovery could lead to safer and more effective sleep medicines in the future.

The study published in Nature Neuroscience found that a natural molecule called tryptamine (TrpA) plays an important role in increasing the body’s need for sleep.

Researchers say this molecule sends signals to the brain that it is time to rest. Experts explained that good sleep is essential for overall health.

During sleep the brain organizes memories stores information and removes waste that builds up during the day.

However many people do not get enough sleep because of insomnia stress depression anxiety or problems with the body’s internal clock also known as the circadian rhythm.

To better understand the process researchers studied mice which are active at night and pigs which are active during the day.

Using a special fluorescent sensor they measured the amount of tryptamine in the animals’ cerebrospinal fluid at different times.

The scientists found that the longer the animals stayed awake the higher their tryptamine levels became.

This suggests that the molecule reflects the body’s natural “sleep pressure” the growing need for sleep after spending many hours awake.

The team also discovered that active nerve cells release tryptamine while the body is awake.

The molecule then attaches to a receptor called GPR139 which activates sleep promoting nerve cells in an area of the brain known as the hypothalamic preoptic area.

In the next stage of the study researchers tested experimental compounds that activated the GPR139 receptor.

The results showed that the animals slept longer and experienced better quality sleep.

Scientists say finding the same results in both mice and pigs suggests that this biological system may also exist in humans.

If future studies confirm this the discovery could help develop new treatments for insomnia and other sleep disorders that are safer more effective and have fewer side effects than many current sleep medications.