Sleep Medicine
Volume 9, Issue 6 , Pages 603-614, August 2008

Cytokines and pathological sleep

  • Fotis Kapsimalis

      Affiliations

    • Pulmonology Department, Sleep Laboratory, Henry Dunant Hospital, Athens, Greece
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author.
    • ,
  • Maria Basta

      Affiliations

    • Center for Sleep Disorders Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Penn state College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
    • ,
  • George Varouchakis

      Affiliations

    • Pulmonology Department, Sleep Laboratory, Henry Dunant Hospital, Athens, Greece
    • ,
  • Konstantinos Gourgoulianis

      Affiliations

    • Pulmonology Department, Medical School, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
    • ,
  • Alexandros Vgontzas

      Affiliations

    • Center for Sleep Disorders Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Penn state College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
    • ,
  • Meir Kryger

      Affiliations

    • Sleep Medicine, Research and Education, Gaylord Hospital, Wallingford, CT, USA

Received 8 May 2007; received in revised form 30 July 2007; accepted 19 August 2007.

Abstract 

Cytokines are proteins produced by leukocytes and other cells that function as intercellular mediators acting on several target tissues, resulting in multiple biologic actions. Over the last decade, medical research has explored the interaction between cytokines and sleep disorders. The aim of this review is to illustrate recent advances in knowledge about the relationship between cytokines and disorders of excessive sleepiness. Cytokines may have an important role in mediating excessive daytime sleepiness in sleep loss or insomnia. Alterations of the immune system have also been associated with narcolepsy. The relationship between cytokines and hormonal regulatory mechanisms may explain symptoms like fatigue and sleepiness in chronic inflammatory diseases. Cytokines may play an important role in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular consequences of this condition. New biologic treatments targeting cytokines have been investigated in conditions characterized by sleep disturbance.

Keywords: Cytokines, Excessive daytime sleepiness, Sleep apnea, Narcolepsy, Insomnia, Sleep deprivation, Inflammation, Insulin resistance

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PII: S1389-9457(07)00322-X

doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2007.08.019

Sleep Medicine
Volume 9, Issue 6 , Pages 603-614, August 2008

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