Sleep Loss Can Cause Death through Accumulation of Reactive Oxygen Species in the Gut, 2020, Vaccaro et al

[Andy]

In fly and mouse models.

Highlights

• Sleep deprivation leads to ROS accumulation in the fly and mouse gut
• Gut-accumulated ROS trigger oxidative stress in this organ
• Preventing ROS accumulation in the gut allows survival without sleep in flies

Summary
The view that sleep is essential for survival is supported by the ubiquity of this behavior, the apparent existence of sleep-like states in the earliest animals, and the fact that severe sleep loss can be lethal. The cause of this lethality is unknown. Here we show, using flies and mice, that sleep deprivation leads to accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and consequent oxidative stress, specifically in the gut. ROS are not just correlates of sleep deprivation but drivers of death: their neutralization prevents oxidative stress and allows flies to have a normal lifespan with little to no sleep. The rescue can be achieved with oral antioxidant compounds or with gut-targeted transgenic expression of antioxidant enzymes. We conclude that death upon severe sleep restriction can be caused by oxidative stress, that the gut is central in this process, and that survival without sleep is possible when ROS accumulation is prevented.

Paywall, https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(20)30555-9.pdf
Unable to access via Sci hub

Article on the study, and the history of experiments in sleep deprivation (not recommended if you dislike animal experimentation), https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-sleep-deprivation-kills-20200604/

 

[Midnattsol]

What I'm reading is "continue to eat fruit, veggies and dark chocolate". I can live with that I wonder if it has to do with oxidative stress also causing impairment of the epithelial barrier in the gut, will read at a later point.

 

[Mithriel]

The poor guy who died from fatal familial insomnia was thought to have MS at first. He had neurological degeneration. Not sure how that goes with this.

 

[alex3619]

Sleep is a complex phenomenon. Its regulated by at least two different places in the brain. One of the things it does is allow increased antioxidant activity in the brain. I have had drug induced brutal insomnia, with only sleeping six minutes at a time, maximum, from I think a calcium channel blocker, lercanidipine. Severe lack of sleep has long been known to be fatal. Its also used as torture and in brainwashing. Sleep is not a passive process, you don't let go though it can be perceived that way, it has to be induced by complex orchestrations of signalling molecules. If those are disrupted, for any reason and there might be many, then sleep will be very difficult.

Old rat studies show sleep deprivation leads to immune failure and death by infection. Its consistent with the study in the first post. It takes weeks though, with zero sleep.

I would argue that accumulated ROS in the brain may be even more important in humans. Antioxidants that can circulate in the blood or cross the blood-brain barrier are probably more important than those that cannot. ROS will eventually make it to the gut. Antioxidants in the gut may get to the bloodstream or brain. Its complicated.

 

[Sean]

Severe lack of sleep has long been known to be fatal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatal_insomnia

 

[Sisyphus]

#JustSayInFlies?

Eeew.

 

[Midnattsol]

Sleep is a complex phenomenon. Its regulated by at least two different places in the brain. One of the things it does is allow increased antioxidant activity in the brain. I have had drug induced brutal insomnia, with only sleeping six minutes at a time, maximum, from I think a calcium channel blocker, lercanidipine. Severe lack of sleep has long been known to be fatal. Its also used as torture and in brainwashing. Sleep is not a passive process, you don't let go though it can be perceived that way, it has to be induced by complex orchestrations of signalling molecules. If those are disrupted, for any reason and there might be many, then sleep will be very difficult.

Old rat studies show sleep deprivation leads to immune failure and death by infection. Its consistent with the study in the first post. It takes weeks though, with zero sleep.

I would argue that accumulated ROS in the brain may be even more important in humans. Antioxidants that can circulate in the blood or cross the blood-brain barrier are probably more important than those that cannot. ROS will eventually make it to the gut. Antioxidants in the gut may get to the bloodstream or brain. Its complicated.

Increased ROS in the gut can impair the gut barrier, I wonder if increased ROS in the blood can do so with the blood/brain barrier, then stuff that's not supposed to get into the brain could cause additional problems.