title: Evidence for the role of serotonin in the regulation of slow wave sleep in schizophrenia.
abstract: Nocturnal sleep data and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of the biogenic amine metabolites were measured in 20 male schizophrenics. Consistent with other reports of a stage 4 sleep deficit in schizophrenia, measures of stage 4 sleep were low relative to normal reference data. Measures of stage 4 sleep in absolute amounts and corrected for total sleep were positively correlated with CSF concentrations of the serotonin metabolite, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA). CSF 5-HIAA was also correlated with measures of stage 3 sleep and total sleep time suggesting that serotonin may modulate the amount of slow wave sleep broadly defined and possibly sleep duration. Total stage 4 time was also correlated with the dopamine metabolite HVA; consequently, the specificity of the finding might be limited. Also, in this study, schizophrenia was used as a particular model for stage 4 deficits; however, the association of measures of stage 4 sleep with CSF levels of 5-HIAA is not thought to be specific to schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Palo Alto, California 94304.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Faull
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Zarcone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology*; D013129:Spinal Puncture; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D004298:Dopamine