Author: Rodielon Putol

In a study that challenges long-held beliefs about sleep regulation in vertebrates, researchers at the University of Basel have made a surprising discovery. Experts have found that some species of fish, including clown loaches commonly found in zoos and aquariums, do not need the orexin molecule to regulate their sleep-wake cycle. Researchers previously considered this molecule essential for normal sleep and wakefulness in vertebrates. In humans, a lack of orexin is associated with narcolepsy – a condition that features excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden loss of muscle tone, and uncontrollable sleep attacks.Model organisms for sleep regulation For more than two decades,…