According to the University of Copenhagen:
Previously, the scientists knew very little about the role played by miR-137 in the brain, but now Birgitte Kornum’s research team has demonstrated that it is associated with hypocretin regulation and thus with sleep.
“This is the first time a microRNA is associated with sleep regulation. Drawing on the UK Biobank, we discovered some genetic mutations in miR-137 which cause daytime sleepiness. The study demonstrates this connection in both mice and zebrafish, and we are able to prove the connection with hypocretin. Our discovery shows just how complex the machinery of sleep is. Imagine inheriting a variant of miR-137 that puts you at higher risk of feeling sleepy during the day,” says Birgitte Kornum.
University of Copenhagen, “New sleep molecule discovered: ‘It shows just how complex the machinery of sleep is’” at ScienceDaily (April 29, 2022)
The paper is open access.