datadragon
Senior Member
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- When the orexin neurons in the brain are stimulated, pupils expand, new research in mice shows.
- Orexin is central to the regulation of pupil size. When the orexin system is switched off, the pupils remain constricted.
- In future, scientists would like to use pupil size to measure the activity of orexin neurons.
- Possible use for ME/CFS
stimulating orexin neurons caused the pupils of the mice to expand noticeably. These neurons are involved in regulating sleep-wake switching, attention span, the reward system, appetite, energy consumption, depression, anxiety and panic, resistance to high-fat diet-induced obesity among others. Additionally they interact with many areas that are being investigated with ME/CFS. Noradrenaline neurons are unable to maintain normal pupil state without orexin nerve cells. If the orexin system is switched off, the pupils remain far too constricted. Not only light changes the size of the pupil, mental strain and emotional impressions also have an influence on it
In addition to providing brain researchers with a new way of measuring orexin activity that is far less invasive, this opens up new avenues for medical treatment. There is a long-established link between a disruption in orexin regulation and the sleep disorder narcolepsy and links have also been observed to other neurological conditions which have a sleep disorder component. In the future, examining pupil size could help more precisely research the influence of orexin on these conditions—and possibly even simplify and improve diagnosis,
My thinking is that this may be useful to gauge a persons current state of orexin -
more constriction = lower orexin
increased size = higher orexin (those with insomnia may therefore have increased pupil size).
@Mary
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