A new study reveals that insomnia is actually produced by a gene that has been initially found in fruit flies. The scientists believe that it also applies to humans that also carry this mutation in the protein. Fruit flies, and humans, with this gene normally sleep two-thirds than normal and live shorter lives than those who have regular sleeping cycles. It also contributes to conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. The article states that even though humans and fruit flies are barely similar, the sleeping characteristics are most probably similar. This gene deprives people, and fruit flies, of their sleep and consequently entails chronic life-long sleep disorders. In the article it also mentions that “Dr. Nicholas Stavropoulos, of Rockefeller University said that ‘this work gives us several new clues about how sleep is controlled at the molecular level.’.”
The scientists that discovered the “insomnia” gene used hypothesis based science because they tested it on more than 20,000 fruit flies and they experienced the same mechanism in sleep disorder.
The findings of this gene are important to humans because it gives explanations to millions of people that suffer from chronic sleep disorders and insomnia. It is a step forward towards why insomnia exists in humans and in animals. This is one of many other conclusions that have been brought up as possible solutions to the reason why insomnia is present.
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Title of article: Discovered: The 'insomnia' gene that means you sleep two-thirds less than normal (... and don't live as long)
Journal: Mail Online
Date published: February 22, 2012
Pages of the article: 1
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