The circadian clock consists of a feedback loop in which clock genes are rhythmically expressed, giving rise to cycling levels of RNA and proteins. Four of the five circadian genes identified to date influence responsiveness to freebase cocaine in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster . Sensitization to repeated cocaine exposures, a phenomenon also seen in humans and animal models and associated with enhanced drug craving, is eliminated in flies mutant for period , clock , cycle , and doubletime , but not in flies lacking the gene timeless . Flies that do not sensitize owing to lack of these genes do not show the induction of tyrosine decarboxylase normally seen after cocaine exposure. These findings indicate unexpected roles for these genes in regulating cocaine sensitization and indicate that they function as regulators of tyrosine decarboxylase.

In mammals, the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) modulates a variety of behaviours, although DA function is mostly associated with motor control and reward. In insects such as the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster , DA also modulates a wide array of behaviours, ranging from sleep and locomotion to courtship and learning. How can a single molecule play so many different roles? Adaptive changes within the DA system, anatomical specificity of action and effects on a variety of behaviours highlight the remarkable versatility of this neurotransmitter. Recent genetic and pharmacological manipulations of DA signalling in Drosophila have launched a surfeit of stories—each arguing for modulation of some aspect of the fly's waking (and sleeping) life. Although these stories often seem distinct and unrelated, there are some unifying themes underlying DA function and arousal states in this insect model. One of the central roles played by DA may involve perceptual suppression, a necessary component of both sleep and selective attention.

The arousing and motor-activating effects of psychostimulants are mediated by multiple systems. In Drosophila , dopaminergic transmission is involved in mediating the arousing effects of methamphetamine, although the neuronal mechanisms of caffeine (CAFF)-induced wakefulness remain unexplored. Here, we show that in Drosophila , as in mammals, the wake-promoting effect of CAFF involves both the adenosinergic and dopaminergic systems. By measuring behavioral responses in mutant and transgenic flies exposed to different drug-feeding regimens, we show that CAFF-induced wakefulness requires the Drosophila D1 dopamine receptor ( dDA1 ) in the mushroom bodies. In WT flies, CAFF exposure leads to downregulation of dDA1 expression, whereas the transgenic overexpression of dDA1 leads to CAFF resistance. The wake-promoting effects of methamphetamine require a functional dopamine transporter as well as the dDA1, and they engage brain areas in addition to the mushroom bodies.

Molecular and genetic approaches in several species have provided new insights into the mechanisms of rest-activity and sleep-wake regulation. Many of these discoveries are believed to support hypotheses about sleep functions, which nevertheless remain elusive. In this review we discuss the specific contribution of both mammalian and invertebrate models to our understanding of the molecular basis of sleep.