Abstract
Approximately 30% of the general population suffers from insomnia. Given that insomnia causes many problems, amelioration of the symptoms is crucial. Recently, we found that a non-essential amino acid, glycine subjectively and objectively improves sleep quality in humans who have difficulty sleeping. We evaluated the effects of glycine on daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and performances in sleep-restricted healthy subjects. Sleep was restricted to 25% less than the usual sleep time for three consecutive nights. Before bedtime, 3 g of glycine or placebo were ingested, sleepiness, and fatigue were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) and a questionnaire, and performance were estimated by personal computer (PC) performance test program on the following day. In subjects given glycine, the VAS data showed a significant reduction in fatigue and a tendency toward reduced sleepiness. These observations were also found via the questionnaire, indicating that glycine improves daytime sleepiness and fatigue induced by acute sleep restriction. PC performance test revealed significant improvement in psychomotor vigilance test. We also measured plasma melatonin and the expression of circadian-modulated genes expression in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) to evaluate the effects of glycine on circadian rhythms. Glycine did not show significant effects on plasma melatonin concentrations during either the dark or light period. Moreover, the expression levels of clock genes such as Bmal1 and Per2 remained unchanged. However, we observed a glycine-induced increase in the neuropeptides arginine vasopressin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the light period. Although no alterations in the circadian clock itself were observed, our results indicate that glycine modulated SCN function. Thus, glycine modulates certain neuropeptides in the SCN and this phenomenon may indirectly contribute to improving the occasional sleepiness and fatigue induced by sleep restriction.
Highlights
30% of the general population suffer from symptoms of insomnia (Ohayon, 2002)
We investigated the use of glycine to improve sleep quality under partially sleep-restricted conditions using daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and performance as measurements
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is necessary for glycine-induced hypothermia and vasodilatation because ingested glycine primarily acts on the N -methyl-d-aspartate subtype of glutamate receptors (NMDARs) in the SCN
Summary
30% of the general population suffer from symptoms of insomnia (Ohayon, 2002). We investigated the use of glycine to improve sleep quality under partially sleep-restricted conditions using daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and performance as measurements. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is necessary for glycine-induced hypothermia and vasodilatation because ingested glycine primarily acts on the NMDARs in the SCN This mechanism may result in an improvement in sleep quality. Glycine has been shown to improve sleep quality in humans and rats (Inagawa et al, 2006a; Yamadera et al, 2007; Kawai et al, 2009; Bannai and Kawai, 2011), the relationship between glycine ingestion and the circadian clock remains unknown.
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