Naked Science Forum

On the Lighter Side => That CAN'T be true! => Topic started by: chris on 22/02/2003 10:39:04

Title: Gene for Sleepwalking !
Post by: chris on 22/02/2003 10:39:04

Scientists have tracked down the genetic cause of sleepwalking !

It's been clear for some time that sleepwalking runs in families. The inheritable component of this common condition is probably due to a family of genes called DQB1. A preliminary study in 60 sleepwalkers, published in Molecular Psychiatry (2003;8:114-7) showed the genes were considerably more common (35%) among sleepwalkers than among controls.

The authors contend that DQB1 genes may be involved in motor-control during sleep (as a rule we are essentially paralysed during sleep by specific brain regions which prevent the transmission of movement related signals so that we don't 'act out' our dreams).

Here's the link to the paper :

http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/mp/journal/v8/n1/abs/4001203a.html&dynoptions=doi1045910086

Chris

Title: Gene for Sleepwalking !
Post by: animefreak on 21/04/2008 19:17:32

so what happens when when you wake a sleep walker up, why is it so dangerous?