Gene That Makes People 'Early To Bed And Early To Rise' Demystified Jan 13, 2007
The recent discovery that a mutant "clock" gene made some people "early to bed and early to rise," a condition known as familial advanced sleep phase syndrome (FASPS), offered one of the first glimpses into the genetic basis of sleep in humans ... In studies of mice carrying the human FASPS gene, the researchers found that the mutant version of the Period 2 (Per2) clock gene--which is crucial for resetting the body's central clock in response to light--cannot be chemically modified by another... (Science Daily)
Early-to-Bed Mouse Illuminates Workings of Circadian Clock Jan 13, 2007
People with familial advanced sleep-phase syndrome (FASPS) tend to become sleepy and wake up earlier than most ... The mouse they developed harbors a mutant version of the human gene Period 2 (hPer2), which Ptacek and his colleagues had found in earlier studies to be responsible for familial advanced sleep-phase syndrome (FASPS). (Howard Hughes Medical Institute)
Early to Bed, Early to Rise: Scientists Determine How Gene Behind Sleep Cycle Works Jan 12, 2007
The condition, dubbed familial advanced sleep phase syndrome (FASPS), has allowed researchers studying circadian rhythms to understand how the human body clock works, which could pave the way for future therapies aimed at seasonal affective disorder, jet lag and insomnia. Now, a new study by a team out of the University of California, San Francisco, which includes members of the group that initially identified FASPS, has determined the operational mechanism by which the gene Per2 is implicated... (Scientific American)
Gene Makes for Early Risers Jan 12, 2007
These so-called "morning larks" have a condition known as familial advanced sleep phase syndrome (FASPS) ... "FASPS is not hugely common, but it's not rare," Ptacek said ... In its latest research, Ptacek's group has determined how the gene causes the condition, by transplanting the gene into mice to create rodents with FASPS.. (Forbes)
