title: The effect of alpha and beta adrenergic receptor blockers on sleep in the rat.
abstract: We investigated the effects of the beta adrenergic blocker, propranolol, and the alpha adrenergic blocker, phenoxybenzamine, on sleep patterns in the rat by means of multiple 8-hr and 24-hr polygraphic recordings. Propranolol had no clear effect on time spent in waking, synchronized sleep or desynchronized sleep. Phenoxybenzamine at a dose of 40 mg/kg produced a significant increase in desynchronized sleep time and in the number of desynchronized sleep periods. This is consistent with the view that there may be a mechanism inhibiting the onset of desynchronized sleep periods which involves norepinephrine acting at alpha adrenergic receptors in the brain.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D010643:Phenoxybenzamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010643:Phenoxybenzamine; D011433:Propranolol