STRESS-INDUCED SLEEP DEPRIVATION MODIFIES CORTICOTROPIN RELEASING FACTOR (CRF) LEVELS

Copyright © 1997 The Italian Pharmacological Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Regular Article

STRESS-INDUCED SLEEP DEPRIVATION MODIFIES CORTICOTROPIN RELEASING FACTOR (CRF) LEVELS AND CRF BINDING IN RAT BRAIN AND PITUITARY*1


PAOLA FADDAa, f1 and WALTER FRATTAb
a ‘B.B. Brodie’ Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
b Center for Neuropharmacology, National Research Council University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
Accepted 2 April 1997. ;
Available online 15 April 2002.

Abstract

Electroencephalographic (EEG) studies have shown that corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) administration induces EEG activation, decreases sleep time both in rats and humans and modifies the sleep pattern in sleep deprived rats.

In the present study we have investigated whether CRF neuronal activity could be altered in a situation of disrupted sleep-wake cycle.

Sleep deprivation (SD) was induced by keeping the rat for 72 h on a small platform (7 cm) surrounded by water.

Immediately after the SD period rats were killed and CRF levels and CRF receptor binding were evaluated in different brain areas.

A marked increase in CRF levels was present in the striatum (+224%), limbic areas (+144%) and pituitary (+42%) whereas the hypothalamic CRF content was reduced (−57%).

A significant decrease in CRF binding was found in the striatum (−33%) and pituitary (−38%) of sleep deprived rats.

These results indicate that CRF neuronal activity is stimulated by SD, suggesting that CRF might play an important role in the physiological regulation of the sleep-wake cycle and that an altered CRF neuronal activity might be involved in behavioral modifications related to sleep disturbances.

Author Keywords: Sleep deprivation; corticotropin-releasing factor; limbic system; striatum; rat

*1 De Souza, EBNemeroff, CB
f1 Correspondence to: Paola Fadda, ‘B.B. Brodie’ Department of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.

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