In a study published in The Journal of Neuroscience, three concentrations of a Calcium/Calmodulin Kinase II (CaMKII) inhibitor were injected into the brainstems of rats and the effect on wakefulness, slow wave sleep and REM sleep were measured.
The effects were concentration-dependent and lasted for approximately three hours.
Researchers found that when the rats were given the CaMKII inhibitor, wakefulness was reduced and both shortwave and REM sleep increased.
This study is the first to provide evidence that the enzyme CaMKII promotes wakefulness and suppresses sleep. This could pave the way for new insomnia medication that works by suppressing CaMKII.
Hopefully we’ll see more studies on this exciting new discovery in the near future. We’ll keep you updated, as usual.
Source: The Journal of Neuroscience
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I’d almost settle for fewer hours of sleep if I ever felt rested upon awakening…