The effects of glycine on subjective daytime performance in partially sleep-restricted healthy volunteers
Approximately 30% of the general population suffers from insomnia. Given that insomnia causes many problems, amelioration of the symptoms is crucial. Recently, we found that a nonessential amino acid, glycine subjectively and objectively improves sleep quality in humans who have difficulty sleeping....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2012-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neurology |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fneur.2012.00061/full |
| _version_ | 1818140748488376320 |
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| author | Makoto eBannai Nobuhiro eKawai Kaori eOno Keiko eNakahara Noboru eMurakami |
| author_facet | Makoto eBannai Nobuhiro eKawai Kaori eOno Keiko eNakahara Noboru eMurakami |
| author_sort | Makoto eBannai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Approximately 30% of the general population suffers from insomnia. Given that insomnia causes many problems, amelioration of the symptoms is crucial. Recently, we found that a nonessential amino acid, glycine subjectively and objectively improves sleep quality in humans who have difficulty sleeping. We evaluated the effects of glycine on daytime sleepiness, fatigue and performances in sleep-restricted healthy subjects. Sleep was restricted to 25% less than the usual sleep time for three consecutive nights. Before bedtime, 3 g of glycine or placebo were ingested, sleepiness and fatigue were evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and a questionnaire, and performance were estimated by personal computer (PC) performance test program on the following day. In subjects given glycine, the VAS data showed a significant reduction in fatigue and a tendency toward reduced sleepiness. These observations were also found via the questionnaire, indicating that glycine improves daytime sleepiness and fatigue induced by acute sleep restriction. PC performance test revealed significant improvement in psychomotor vigilance test. We also measured plasma melatonin and the expression of circadian-modulated genes expression in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) to evaluate the effects of glycine on circadian rhythms. Glycine did not show significant effects on plasma melatonin concentrations during either the dark or light period. Moreover, the expression levels of clock genes such as Bmal1 and Per2 remained unchanged. However, we observed a glycine-induced increase in the neuropeptides arginine vasopressin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the light period. Although no alterations in the circadian clock itself were observed, our results indicate that glycine modulated SCN function. Thus, glycine modulates certain neuropeptides in the SCN and this phenomenon may indirectly contribute to improving the occasional sleepiness and fatigue induced by sleep restriction. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T10:48:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e8e2b04ff5684479aa1fa1d1ac0510dc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-2295 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T10:48:55Z |
| publishDate | 2012-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neurology |
| spelling | doaj.art-e8e2b04ff5684479aa1fa1d1ac0510dc2022-12-22T01:10:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neurology1664-22952012-04-01310.3389/fneur.2012.0006116350The effects of glycine on subjective daytime performance in partially sleep-restricted healthy volunteersMakoto eBannai0Nobuhiro eKawai1Kaori eOno2Keiko eNakahara3Noboru eMurakami4Ajinomoto Co., Inc.Ajinomoto Co., Inc.Ajinomoto Co., Inc.University of MiyazakiUniversity of MiyazakiApproximately 30% of the general population suffers from insomnia. Given that insomnia causes many problems, amelioration of the symptoms is crucial. Recently, we found that a nonessential amino acid, glycine subjectively and objectively improves sleep quality in humans who have difficulty sleeping. We evaluated the effects of glycine on daytime sleepiness, fatigue and performances in sleep-restricted healthy subjects. Sleep was restricted to 25% less than the usual sleep time for three consecutive nights. Before bedtime, 3 g of glycine or placebo were ingested, sleepiness and fatigue were evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and a questionnaire, and performance were estimated by personal computer (PC) performance test program on the following day. In subjects given glycine, the VAS data showed a significant reduction in fatigue and a tendency toward reduced sleepiness. These observations were also found via the questionnaire, indicating that glycine improves daytime sleepiness and fatigue induced by acute sleep restriction. PC performance test revealed significant improvement in psychomotor vigilance test. We also measured plasma melatonin and the expression of circadian-modulated genes expression in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) to evaluate the effects of glycine on circadian rhythms. Glycine did not show significant effects on plasma melatonin concentrations during either the dark or light period. Moreover, the expression levels of clock genes such as Bmal1 and Per2 remained unchanged. However, we observed a glycine-induced increase in the neuropeptides arginine vasopressin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the light period. Although no alterations in the circadian clock itself were observed, our results indicate that glycine modulated SCN function. Thus, glycine modulates certain neuropeptides in the SCN and this phenomenon may indirectly contribute to improving the occasional sleepiness and fatigue induced by sleep restriction.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fneur.2012.00061/fullCircadian RhythmFatiguesleepinessAmino acidsleep restriction |
| spellingShingle | Makoto eBannai Nobuhiro eKawai Kaori eOno Keiko eNakahara Noboru eMurakami The effects of glycine on subjective daytime performance in partially sleep-restricted healthy volunteers Frontiers in Neurology Circadian Rhythm Fatigue sleepiness Amino acid sleep restriction |
| title | The effects of glycine on subjective daytime performance in partially sleep-restricted healthy volunteers |
| title_full | The effects of glycine on subjective daytime performance in partially sleep-restricted healthy volunteers |
| title_fullStr | The effects of glycine on subjective daytime performance in partially sleep-restricted healthy volunteers |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effects of glycine on subjective daytime performance in partially sleep-restricted healthy volunteers |
| title_short | The effects of glycine on subjective daytime performance in partially sleep-restricted healthy volunteers |
| title_sort | effects of glycine on subjective daytime performance in partially sleep restricted healthy volunteers |
| topic | Circadian Rhythm Fatigue sleepiness Amino acid sleep restriction |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fneur.2012.00061/full |
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