ArticlePsychopharmacology2026
Dual hypocretin receptor antagonists enhance sleep and nursing behavior in lactating rats.
Article in Psychopharmacology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
rationaleHypocretins (also known as orexins) are neuropeptides that regulate the sleep-wake cycle and modulate a variety of behaviors, including maternal behavior. They act through two receptor subtypes: hypocretin receptor 1 (HcrtR1) and hypocretin receptor 2 (HcrtR2). Hypocretin signaling is dynamically modulated across reproductive states, including the postpartum period, a stage characterized by increased wakefulness and fragmented sleep, likely reflecting the physiological demands of offspring care. Dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs), such as suvorexant, are clinically used as hypnotics, suggesting their potential relevance for restoring sleep during the postpartum period. However, their effects during lactation remain largely unexplored.
objectiveTo examine the impact of the DORA Suvorexant on sleep and maternal behavior in lactating rats.
methodsLactating and virgin female rats were implanted with electrodes for polysomnographic recording. Using a counterbalanced within-subject design, Suvorexant was administered orally on separate recording sessions at 0, 10 (SUV10), and 30 mg/kg (SUV30) to virgin rats in diestrus and to lactating rats between postpartum days 4 and 8. Sleep recordings and maternal behaviors were assessed during the light phase for six hours following the administration of the drug.
resultsSuvorexant reduced wakefulness and increased slow wave sleep, intermediate state, and REM sleep in both groups, with a stronger effect in virgin females. In lactating rats, Suvorexant increased nursing time and milk ejections, while reducing active maternal behavior such as pup-licking.
conclusionsThese findings demonstrate that dual hypocretin receptor antagonism produces hypnotic effects and selectively modulates maternal behavior, increasing nursing while reducing active maternal behavior.
Indexed as
Identifiers
41870530What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.