Cutting Hormone Could Trip Jet Lag

This is Scientific American 60-Second Science. I'm Sophie Bushwick. Got a minute?
Jet lag.
Jumping a few time zones causes problems with sleep and even digestion.
But new research means we could be a step closer to preventing this voyager's vexation.
The study centers on the hormone vasopressin, thought to have a role in maintaining our internal clock.
Researchers genetically engineered mice that do not respond to vasopressin.
Both engineered and normal rodents lived in a set cycle of light and dark for 2 weeks.
Then the researchers changed the light cycle by eight hours.
And the vasopressin-insensitive mice recovered from their induced jet lag much more quickly than did their hormone-sensitive peers.
The work is in the journal Science.
Jet lag may seem like a minor annoyance.
But for those who travel frequently or work unusual hours, it's a chronic problem that can increase the risk of hypertension and obesity.
You cannot simply knock out vasopressin signaling permanently,
that would have negative effects on behavior and brain activity.
But a drug that temporarily suppresses vasopressin to reduce jet lag may be a frequent flier's dream.
Thanks for the minute, for Scientific American 60-Second Science. I'm Sophie Bushwick.