Recent advances in understanding the genetics of sleep

Sleep is a ubiquitous and complex behavior both in its manifestation and regulation. Despite its essential role in maintaining optimal performance, health, and well-being, the genetic mechanisms underlying sleep remain poorly understood. We here review the forward genetic approaches undertaken in the last 4 years to elucidate the genes and gene pathways affecting sleep and its regulation. Despite an increasing number of studies mining large databases, a coherent picture on ‘sleep’ genes has yet to emerge. We highlight the results achieved using unbiased genetic screens in human, mouse, and the fruit fly with emphasis on normal sleep and make reference to lessons learned from the circadian field.