Microinjections of muscimol and bicuculline into the pontine reticular formation modify the sleep-waking cycle in the rat.
The role of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the sleep-waking cycle was evaluated by means of microinjections of muscimol and bicuculline into the rat pontine reticular formation (PRF). Muscimol (20 ng) produced a marked increase in wakefulness (70%), a decrease in slow-wave sleep (SWS) (35%) and a remarkable delay in the onset of both SWS and paradoxical sleep, without modifying the percentage of the latter. Bicuculline (4 ng) shortened SWS latency by about 70%. These results suggest that GABAergic transmission in the PRF is involved in the regulation of sleep-waking cycle in the rat.
Camacho-Arroyo
I
I
Departamento de Neurociencias, Instituto de Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, D.F.
Alvarado
R
R
Manjarrez
J
J
Tapia
R
R
D000818:Animals; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D009118:Muscimol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011149:Pons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000502:physiology; D012154:Reticular Formation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects
D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D009118:Muscimol; D001640:Bicuculline