Why do some of us need in excess of nine or ten hours sleep every night, while others can function normally on as little as five? Why do some of us fall asleep within minutes, while others suffer from chronic insomnia?Figure 1: Drosophila melanogaster – a model organism in the study of sleep genetics
It turns out our sleeping patterns may be determined largely by our genes. A recent study conducted by a team of researchers led by Dr. Trudy Mackay at the North Carolina State University, and published in Nature Genetics looked at the sleeping habits and genomes of fruit flies in order to determine whether or not genes affect amounts and patterns of sleep. It’s hoped this research could lead to a better understanding of human sleep and even the affects of sleep deprivation.
The study measured sleep patterns in 40 wild-type strains of Drosophila melanogaster, or the common fruitfly. Flies were placed in glass tubes and inserted into a machine which monitored movement. When no movement occurred for at least 5 minutes, the time was recorded as sleep. The genomes of the flies were sequenced, and almost 1700 genes identified which affect sleep variability. The study also identified groups of genes which seem to work cooperatively.
Perhaps an understanding of the genes responsible for sleep patterns, if combined with an understanding of environmental conditions, could lead to insights into this mysterious phenomenon. Perhaps it could even lead to potential treatments for many debilitating sleep disorders such as narcolepsy or insomnia.
