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Updated: Jul 7, 2025

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Orexin-A attenuated motion sickness through modulating neural activity in hypothalamus nuclei

Leilei Pan1, Shuifeng Xiao1, Zichao Xu1

  • 1Department of Nautical Injury Prevention, Faculty of Navy Medicine, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University), Shanghai, China.

British Journal of Pharmacology
|December 22, 2023
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Orexin-A administration can alleviate motion sickness by targeting specific brain regions and receptors. Intranasal orexin-A shows promise as a novel treatment for motion sickness.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Motion sickness is a common neurological disorder.
  • The orexin system plays a role in regulating arousal and autonomic functions.
  • Central orexin application's potential to counteract motion sickness is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the hypothesis that central orexin application can counteract motion sickness.
  • To identify orexin-A responsive brain areas involved in motion sickness.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of orexin-A and its antagonists on motion sickness symptoms in rats and cats.

Main Methods:

  • Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of orexin-A and OX1/OX2 antagonists in rats subjected to rotation.
  • Fos immunolabelling to identify orexin-A responsive brain areas.
  • Intranuclear injections and intranasal administration of orexin-A in rats and cats.

Main Results:

  • Orexin-A dose-dependently attenuated motion sickness behaviors (anorexia, nausea, hypoactivity, hypothermia) in rats.
  • Orexin-A modulated Fos expression in hypothalamus nuclei (DMV, PVN, PMV), with specific nuclei linked to distinct symptoms.
  • Orexin-A and scopolamine inhibited emesis in cats; intranasal orexin-A showed efficacy against motion sickness symptoms.

Conclusions:

  • Orexin-A alleviates motion sickness by acting on OX1 and OX2 receptors in hypothalamic nuclei.
  • Targeting orexin receptors in specific brain areas offers a potential therapeutic strategy for motion sickness.
  • Intranasal orexin-A presents a promising, non-invasive approach for motion sickness treatment.
Keywords:
anorexiahypothalamusmotion sicknessnauseaorexin‐A

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