Acute effects of alcohol on sleep are mediated by components of homeostatic sleep regulatory system

Abstract

Alcohol causes adenosine buildup, which inhibits wake-active neurons via adenosine A1 receptors thus disinhibiting sleep active neurons and also stimulates sleep-active neurons via A2A receptors, causing sleep. This editorial highlights the study entitled, “Lesions of the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons attenuates sleepiness and adenosine after alcohol consumption” by Sharma and colleagues. They report that the wake-promoting basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic neurons play a crucial role in mediating acute alcohol-induced sleep via adenosinergic signaling. (Figure presented.).