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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.07.16.738995

Genipin Alleviates Sleep Deficiencies Caused by α-Synuclein Toxicity in a Drosophila melanogaster Model of Parkinsons Disease

Davis, O. M.·Sappenfield, A. H.·Fairman, R.
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Abstract

Parkinsons disease is predominantly characterized by dopaminergic neurodegeneration linked to toxic aggregation of -synuclein. Genipin, a bioactive iridoid, was previously shown to improve the motility and survival deficits caused by pan-neuronal expression of native -synuclein in a transgenic Drosophila melanogaster model system. We show that expression of -synuclein causes sleep deficits and that genipin treatment rescued these sleep deficits, increasing total sleep and consolidating nighttime sleep relative to untreated -synuclein-expressing fruit flies. Our findings extend genipins protective profile in Drosophila melanogaster and highlight sleep regulation as an additional phenotype responsive to -synuclein-targeted interventions.

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Davis, O. M., Sappenfield, A. H., Fairman, R.. 2026-07-21. Genipin Alleviates Sleep Deficiencies Caused by α-Synuclein Toxicity in a Drosophila melanogaster Model of Parkinsons Disease. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.16.738995

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