Regulation of sleep homeostasis mediator adenosine by basal forebrain glutamatergic neurons

Different patterns of neural activity in the brain control the sleep-wake cycle. However, how this activity contributes to sleep homeostasis remains largely unknown. Adenosine in the basal forebrain is a prominent physiological mediator of sleep homeostasis. Using a newly developed indicator, Peng et al. monitored adenosine concentration in the mouse basal forebrain. There was a clear correlation with wake state and REM sleep. Activity-dependent release of adenosine could also be elicited after optogenetic stimulation of basal forebrain glutamatergic, but not cholinergic, neurons. These findings offer new insights into how neuronal activity during wakefulness contributes to sleep pressure through the release of sleep-inducing factors.