Sleep Deprivation and Mice

I recently had the privilege to listen to Dr. Crowley talk about sleep deprivation in adolescence and our current understanding of sleep regulation and sleep behavior. The reality for most teenagers is that the societal schedule they are forced into does not align with their circadian rhythm. This difference doesn’t allow for enough sleep and this can lead to sleep deprivation which has many harmful results. Adolescents especially are more vulnerable and it seems sleep time continues to decrease with age. In the journal, “An update on adolescent sleep: New evidence informing the perfect storm model”, Dr. Crowley claims, “The circadian phase delay seen in humans is also observed in nonhuman mammals, including rhesus monkey, degu, laboratory rat, laboratory mouse, and the fat sand rat” (Crowley 58). This led to the question, what are the implications of sleep deprivation for other mammals? Are there similar results?

In 2023 a study was done looking at mice and sleep deprivation.  It is known that metabolism, immunological responses and certain reproductive processes are controlled by circadian rhythms in mammals. For mice, it was shown that sleep deprivation led to worse outcomes in the open field test and elevated plus maze. Plus, worse results of the nest-building test meaning that sleep deprivation causes increased levels of anxiety and a decrease in cognitive function (Qi). The goal of this study was to look at the results of the rhBmal1 protein in sleep deprived mice. It was intraperitoneal injection and led to an alleviation of sleep deprivation. Bmal1 which is a brain and muscle Arnt-like protein-1 and is a brain-derived neurotrophic factor,  is a main part of what helps regulate circadian rhythms. This protein was restored when rhBmal1 was injected and in the hippocampus, oxidative stress was reduced. 

With this new research, it leads to the implications this may have on humans. Since it shows that it works on mice, could it be tested on humans and work? Could anything ever compare to just getting the correct amount of sleep? We know that during sleep we consolidate memories which are vital for well-being. Is it possible that the rhBmal1 protein could do this for the brain, along with other maintenance done during sleep? This journal recognizes that it could be a potential therapy, yet  we are unsure how humans would react to the rhBmal1 protein. It is interesting to consider what this could do for humans later on with more research. It seems for now that the best decision is to get enough sleep on a consistent schedule. 

Crowley, S. J., Wolfson, A. R., Tarokh, L., & Carskadon, M. A. (2018). An update on adolescent sleep: New evidence informing The perfect storm model☆. Journal of Adolescence, 67(1), 55–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2018.06.001

Qi, L., Cheng, Y., Sun, S., & Wan, H. (2024). The administration of rhBmal1 reduces sleep deprivation-            induced anxiety and cognitive impairment in mice. The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry,                 25(1), 43–53. https://doi.org/10.1080/15622975.2023.2252499