Scientists map the deep-sleep brain circuit that controls growth hormone
Researchers at UC Berkeley have mapped the brain circuit that links deep, non-REM sleep to the release of growth hormone. Published in Cell, the study describes a feedback loop in which sleep drives the hormone and the hormone in turn nudges the brain back toward waking. The circ
A UC Berkeley team led by the Yang Dan lab has mapped the exact brain circuit that links deep sleep to growth hormone, the chemical that helps build muscle and bone, burn fat, and support healthy metabolism. Recording neural activity in mice while stimulating cells in the hypothalamus with light, they found that two signals, GHRH and somatostatin, push and pull the hormone across sleep stages. Once released, the hormone activates the locus coeruleus, a brainstem region tied to alertness, forming a feedback loop between sleep and wakefulness. The researchers describe sleep and hormone balance as one connected system, which helps explain why chronic poor sleep is linked to obesity, diabetes, and brain disorders. Published in Cell. Human treatments are still far off.