Sick And Tired? Scientists Find Protein That Puts Flies To Sleep And Fights Infection
In the search for what triggers sleep, researchers stumbled upon a link between sleep and the immune system. A single fly gene gets turned on in sick flies, inducing sleep and an immune response.
It's cold outside, you're sick and all you want to do is curl up under the covers until you feel better.
In fact, the need for sleep can be so strong when we're sick that this may be all we can do.
Scientists don't fully understand how this excessive sleepiness is different from your normal, everyday tiredness. Previous work in nematodes found a gene that dampens activity of wakefulness neurons in response to infection. Other research in mammals suggests elements of the immune response can influence behavior.
Overall, scientists still have a lot to learn about what makes
