Memory, Sleep Disorders, University of Pennsylvania / 22.11.2014
Sleep Deprivation: Specific Molecular Changes Lead To Memory Impairment
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Jennifer Choi Tudor, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow
Ted Abel Lab Department of Biology 10-17
Smilow Center for Translational Research
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Dr. Tudor: We (Dr. Tudor, Dr. Abel, and colleagues) are interested in better understanding the molecular changes that occur with sleep deprivation. Previously, we found that the expression of over 500 genes changes with sleep deprivation and that many of the genes were involved with protein synthesis. Upon further investigation, we found that 5 hours of sleep deprivation impairs protein synthesis in the hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory. This impairment is due to changes in mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 2 (4EBP2) is critical to this process. When we boosted levels of 4EBP2 in the hippocampus, mice that were sleep deprived were resistant to the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation on memory.
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