Synonyms
VLPO
Definition
A region of the mammalian brain thought to play a major role in the promotion of sleep.
The ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO) is a region of the mammalian hypothalamus thought to play a major role in the promotion of sleep [1–3]. Many studies have used a variety of anatomical, pharmacological, and electrophysiological techniques to demonstrate that the VLPO is mostly active during sleep, is necessary for normal sleep, and works primarily by inhibiting other subcortical areas of the brain that promote arousal. Here, we summarize the current state of knowledge about the VLPO and its role in the regulation of the sleep/wake cycle.
Characteristics
Anatomy
The VLPO is a subdivision of the lateral preoptic area (LPOA) located in the anterior hypothalamus. To date, the VLPO has been studied almost exclusively in rats, where the volume of cells is roughly 600 μm in diameter [2]. The VLPO can be further anatomically and functionally subdivided into a dense cluster...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Saper CB, Scammell TE, Lu J (2005) Hypothalamic regulation of sleep and circadian rhythms. Nature 437:1257–1264
Sherin JE, Shiromani PH, McCarley RW, Saper CB (1996) Activation of ventrolateral preoptic neurons during sleep. Science 271:216–219
Gaus SE, Strecker RE, Tate BA, Parker RA, Saper CB (2002) Ventrolateral preoptic nucleus contains sleep-active, galaninergic neurons in multiple mammalian species. Neuroscience 115:285–294
Gallopin T, Fort P, Eggermann E, Cauli B, Luppi PH, Rossier H, Audinat E, Muhlethaler M, Serafin M (2000) Identification of sleep-promoting neurons in vitro. Nature 404:992–995
Lu J, Greco MA, Shiromani P, Saper CB (2000) Effect of lesions of the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus on NREM and REM sleep. J Neurosci 20:3830–3842
Lu J, Bjorkum AA, Xu M, Gaus SE, Shiromani PH, Saper CB (2002) Selective activation of the extended ventrolateral preoptic nucleus during rapid eye movement sleep. J Neurosci 22:4568–4576
Chou TC, Bjorkum AA, Gaus SE, Lu J, Scammell TE, Saper CB (2002) Afferents to the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus 22:977–990
Gallopin T, Cauli B, Luppi PH, Rossier J, Lambolez B, Fort P (2002) Serotonin modulation reveals two types of sleep-promoting neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus. FENS Abstr 1:024–13
Szymusiak R, Alam N, Steininger TL, McGinty D (1998) Sleep-waking discharge patterns of ventrolateral preoptic/anterior hypothalamic neurons in rats. Brain Res. 803:178–188
Lu J, Sherman D, Devor M, Saper CB (2006) A putative flip-flop switch for control of REM sleep. Nature 441:589–594
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Springer-Verlag GmbH Berlin Heidelberg
About this entry
Cite this entry
Carter, M., de Lecea, L. (2009). Ventrolateral Preoptic Nucleus. In: Binder, M.D., Hirokawa, N., Windhorst, U. (eds) Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_6264
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_6264
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-23735-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-29678-2
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences