The Sleep–Waking Cycle and Experimental Models of Mutations in the Panx1 Gene

Objectives. To confirm the authors’ previous suggestion that mutations in the Panx1 gene (pannexin-1) may play an important role in the development of impairments to the sleep-waking cycle. Materials and methods. Studies were carried out using mice with knockout of the Panx1 gene. Experiments used continuous 24-h EEG recording of the EEG and motor activity. Results and conclusions. A statistically significant increase in the proportion of waking was found, due to a decrease in the slow-wave sleep phase (as compared with controls), particularly marked in the dark period of the day, along with an increase in motor activity. The results were compared with data obtained during investigation of a recently published case of a patient with a homozygous mutation in this gene. The possible physiological role of pannexin-1 protein in health and pathology is discussed.