# Using a novel model system to explore the causes and consequences of altered sleep need during pregnancy

> **NIH NIH F31** · HARVARD UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $36,138

## Abstract

Project Summary
Sleep and pregnancy appear to have a bidirectional relationship: pregnancy alters sleep by imposing strong
sleep drive (somnolence) during the first trimester, and in turn inadequate sleep is associated with health
complications in the mother and her offspring. Despite these correlations there is little mechanistic understanding
of the relationship between sleep and pregnancy. Based on a simple but striking observation I made in
Drosophila melanogaster, I have developed a model that allows for study of the causes and consequences of
reproductive sleep need. I found that sleep is strongly upregulated during the one to two weeks females
experience gravidity (the state of carrying young). I call this phenomenon mating-induced somnolence, and
this proposal takes steps to uncover its function and underlying mechanisms with the goal of addressing the
severely understudied yet critical interplay between sleep, pregnancy, and women’s health.
My first Aim will assess the function of increased sleep in female Drosophila after mating. I hypothesize that
sleep is promoted to compensate for the physiological burden of reproduction. I will test this idea by
characterizing various measures of health of the mother and her offspring – including reproductive health,
developmental viability of progeny, and gut health – while preventing the mating-dependent increase in sleep.
My second Aim will determine the mating-status signals that promote sleep. There are several pathways that
orchestrate the post-copulatory behavioral and physiological state, and I will perform manipulations in each of
these pathways to determine their necessity or sufficiency in generating mating-induced somnolence. My third
Aim is an exploratory aim that characterizes the ways known sleep circuitry in Drosophila contributes to, and is
altered by, mating-induced somnolence. I will achieve this through a perturbation-based screen to identify which
sleep neurons are required for the post-mating somnolent state, and via characterization of physiological
changes to a key sleep circuit during mating-induced somnolence.
This proposal will help elucidate the mechanisms and consequences of gravidity-dependent sleep regulation,
something of great public health significance given the disproportionate prevalence of insomnia in women and
the susceptibility of women and their children to negative health consequences during pregnancy. Further,
Drosophila mating-induced somnolence provides an opportunity to study the way sleep need is measured,
regulated, and fulfilled in general, which is my long term goal as an independent academic researcher.
The hands-on mentorship from my sponsor Dr. Dragana Rogulja and co-sponsor Dr. Michael Rosbash will
ensure my successful completion of this research proposal. As I push to expand my technical skills, knowledge
base, scientific communication, and mentoring proficiency throughout my training, they will provide critical
professional guidance towards achi...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10997934
- **Project number:** 1F31HL170921-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** HARVARD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Ethan Glantz
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $36,138
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-12-01 → 2026-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10997934

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10997934, Using a novel model system to explore the causes and consequences of altered sleep need during pregnancy (1F31HL170921-01A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/10997934. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*