Sleep loss and recovery after administration of drugs related to different arousal systems in rats

Sleep and local field potential effect of the D2 receptor agonist bromocriptine during the estrus cycle and postpartum period in female rats

BACKGROUND

Pituitary lactotrophs are under tonic dopaminergic inhibitory control and bromocriptine treatment blocks prolactin secretion.

METHODS

Sleep and local field potential were addressed for 72 h after bromocriptine treatments applied during the different stages of the estrus cycle and for 24 h in the early- and middle postpartum period characterized by spontaneously different dynamics of prolactin release in female rats.

RESULTS

Sleep changes showed strong dependency on the estrus cycle phase of the drug application. Strongest increase of wakefulness and reduction of slow wave sleep- and rapid eye movements sleep appeared during diestrus-proestrus and middle postpartum treatments. Stronger sleep-wake effects appeared in the dark phase in case of the estrus cycle treatments, but in the light phase in postpartum treatments. Slow wave sleep and REM sleep loss in case of estrus cycle treatments was not compensated at all and sleep loss seen in the first day post-injection was gained further later. In opposition, slow wave sleep loss in the light phase after bromocriptine injections showed compensation in the postpartum period treatments. Bromocriptine treatments resulted in a depression of local field potential delta power during slow wave sleep while an enhancement in beta and gamma power during wakefulness regardless of the treatment timing.

CONCLUSIONS

These results can be explained by the interplay of dopamine D2 receptor agonism, lack of prolactin release and the spontaneous homeostatic sleep drive being altered in the different stages of the estrus cycle and the postpartum period.

Sleep- and sleep deprivation-related changes of vertex auditory evoked potentials during the estrus cycle in female rats

The estrus cycle in female rodents has been shown to affect a variety of physiological functions. However, little is known about its presumably thorough effect on auditory processing during the sleep-wake cycle and sleep deprivation. Vertex auditory evoked potentials (vAEPs) were evoked by single click tone stimulation and recorded during different stages of the estrus cycle and sleep deprivation performed in metestrus and proestrus in female rats. vAEPs showed a strong sleep-dependency, with the largest amplitudes present during slow wave sleep while the smallest ones during wakefulness. Higher amplitudes and longer latencies were seen in the light phase during all vigilance stages. The largest amplitudes were found during proestrus (light phase) while the shortest latencies were seen during estrus (dark phase) compared to the 2nd day diestrus baseline. High-amplitude responses without latency changes were also seen during metestrus with increased homeostatic sleep drive. More intense and faster processing of auditory information during proestrus and estrus suggesting a more effective perception of relevant environmental cues presumably in preparation for sexual receptivity. A 4-h sleep deprivation resulted in more pronounced sleep recovery in metestrus compared to proestrus without difference in delta power replacement suggesting a better tolerance of sleep deprivation in proestrus. Sleep deprivation decreased neuronal excitability and responsiveness in a similar manner both during metestrus and proestrus, suggesting that the negative consequences of sleep deprivation on auditory processing may have a limited correlation with the estrus cycle stage.

Ketamine affects homeostatic sleep regulation in the absence of the circadian sleep-regulating component in freely moving rats

Pharmacological effects of ketamine may affect homeostatic sleep regulation via slow wave related mechanisms. In the present study effects of ketamine applied at anesthetic dose (80 mg/kg) were tested on neocortical electric activity for 24 h in freely moving rats. Ketamine effects were compared to changes during control (saline) injections and after 6 h gentle handling sleep deprivation (SD). As circadian factors may mask drug effects, an illumination protocol consisting of short light-dark cycles was applied. Ketamine application induced a short hypnotic stage with characteristic slow cortical rhythm followed by a long-lasting hyperactive waking resulting pharmacological SD. Coherence analysis indicated an increased level of local synchronization in broad local field potential frequency ranges during hyperactive waking but not during natural- or SD-evoked waking. Both slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep were replaced after the termination of the ketamine effect. Our results show that both ketamine-induced hypnotic state and hyperactive waking can induce homeostatic sleep pressure with comparable intensity as 6 h SD, but ketamine-induced waking was different compared to the SD-evoked one. Both types of waking stages were different compared to spontaneous waking but all three types of wakefulness can engage the homeostatic sleep regulating machinery to generate sleep pressure dissipated by subsequent sleep. Current-source density analysis of the slow waves showed that cortical transmembrane currents were stronger during ketamine-induced hypnotic stage compared to both sleep replacement after SD and ketamine application, but intracortical activation patterns showed only quantitative differences. These findings may hold some translational value for human medical ketamine applications aiming the treatment of depression-associated sleep problems, which can be alleviated by the homeostatic sleep effect of the drug without the need for an intact circadian regulation.

Homeostatic sleep regulation in the absence of the circadian sleep-regulating component: effect of short light-dark cycles on sleep-wake stages and slow waves

BACKGROUND

Aside from the homeostatic and circadian components, light has itself an important, direct as well as indirect role in sleep regulation. Light exerts indirect sleep effect by modulating the circadian rhythms. Exposure to short light-dark cycle (LD 1:1, 1:1 h light - dark) eliminates the circadian sleep regulatory component but direct sleep effect of light could prevail. The aim of the present study was to examine the interaction between the light and the homeostatic influences regarding sleep regulation in a rat model.

METHODS

Spontaneous sleep-wake and homeostatic sleep regulation by sleep deprivation (SD) and analysis of slow waves (SW) were examined in Wistar rats exposed to LD1:1 condition using LD12:12 regime as control.

RESULTS

Slow wave sleep (SWS) and REM sleep were both enhanced, while wakefulness (W) was attenuated in LD1:1. SWS recovery after 6-h total SD was more intense in LD1:1 compared to LD12:12 and SWS compensation was augmented in the bright hours. Delta power increment during recovery was caused by the increase of SW number in both cases. More SW was seen during baseline in the second half of the day in LD1:1 and after SD compared to the LD12:12. Increase of SW number was greater in the bright hours compared to the dark ones after SD in LD1:1. Lights ON evoked immediate increase in W and decrease in both SWS and REM sleep during baseline LD1:1 condition, while these changes ceased after SD. Moreover, the initial decrease seen in SWS after lights ON, turned to an increase in the next 6-min bin and this increase was stronger after SD. These alterations were caused by the change of the epoch number in W, but not in case of SWS or REM sleep. Lights OFF did not alter sleep-wake times immediately, except W, which was increased by lights OFF after SD.

CONCLUSIONS

Present results show the complex interaction between light and homeostatic sleep regulation in the absence of the circadian component and indicate the decoupling of SW from the homeostatic sleep drive in LD1:1 lighting condition.

Complete sleep and local field potential analysis regarding estrus cycle, pregnancy, postpartum and post-weaning periods and homeostatic sleep regulation in female rats

Sleep and local field potential (LFP) characteristics were addressed during the reproductive cycle in female rats using long-term (60-70 days) recordings. Changes in homeostatic sleep regulation was tested by sleep deprivation (SDep). The effect of mother-pup separation on sleep was also investigated during the postpartum (PP) period. First half of the pregnancy and early PP period showed increased wakefulness (W) and higher arousal indicated by elevated beta and gamma activity. Slow wave sleep (SWS) recovery was suppressed while REM sleep replacement was complete after SDep in the PP period. Pup separation decreased maternal W during early-, but increased during middle PP while did not affect during late PP. More W, less SWS, higher light phase beta activity but lower gamma activity was seen during the post-weaning estrus cycle compared to the virgin one. Maternal sleep can be governed by the fetuses/pups needs and their presence, which elevate W of mothers. Complete REM sleep- and incomplete SWS replacement after SDep in the PP period may reflect the necessity of maternal REM sleep for the offspring while SWS increase may compete with W essential for maternal care. Maternal experience may cause sleep and LFP changes in the post-weaning estrus cycle.