On Wed, 18 Oct 2000, Paul Leiberton wrote: > Are there increased levels of neurotransmitter production during > REM sleep? A question asked by one of my high school students? I said, in a post on October 19, that everyone agrees that neurochemicals control REM, but no one can agree on where or which one. Jouvet says REM is caused by noradrenalin in the locus coeruleus. McCarley says REM is caused by acetylcholine in the pons. Solms says it's dopamine in the forebrain. And now, a new review paper on the latest neurochemical of everything, hypocretin, further trashs Jouvet's proposal: According to Sutfcliffe & de Lecea (2000), "One aspect of hypocretin activity is the direct excitation of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus to _prevent_ [my emphasis] entry into REM sleep". Sutcliffe, J., & de Lecea, L. (2000). The hypocretins: Excitatory neuromodulatory peptides for multiple homeostatic systems, including sleep and feeding. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 62, 161-168. Not available on-line, unfortunately. -Stephen ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Stephen Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470 Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661 Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy Check out TIPS listserv for teachers of psychology at: http://www.frostburg.edu/dept/psyc/southerly/tips/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------
