How the brain links metabolism and sleep-wake cycles
Official title: Decoding brain circuit underlying metabolic regulation of sleep-wake behavior
Funded at University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr · NIH-11459911 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how the hormone leptin and specific hypothalamus brain cells control sleep and wakefulness to help people with obesity-related sleep problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oklahoma City, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2001 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $124,577 |
| NIH project number | 7R01HL153274-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11459911 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with obesity who experience chronic sleep disruption or excessive daytime sleepiness would be the most likely candidates for future trials informed by this work.
✕Less likely to help
People whose sleep problems are mainly caused by unrelated conditions (for example, a primary psychiatric disorder or anatomical airway obstruction) may not benefit from leptin-targeted approaches.
What this research studies
This work uses lab experiments in mice to trace and manipulate a small group of hypothalamic neurons that respond to the metabolic hormone leptin. Scientists will turn these neurons on and off with genetic and chemical tools and record how those changes alter sleep and wake patterns. They will map the neurons' connections to other brain regions involved in sleep, such as the ventral tegmental area and preoptic area, to see how those circuits change with metabolic signals. The overall aim is to connect metabolic changes seen in obesity to the chronic sleep disruption and daytime sleepiness many patients experience.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to new targets for treatments to improve sleep in people with obesity-related sleep disruption.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies have shown that leptin and leptin-responsive lateral hypothalamic neurons can change wakefulness, but translating these findings into human therapies remains untested.
Where this research is happening
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University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr
Oklahoma City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cui, Huxing — University of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr
- Study coordinator: Cui, Huxing
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.