Decision-making to initiate voluntary movements in the rat is altered during deprivation of rapid eye movement sleep.
Eight male rats were deprived of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep for 6 days by means of a cuff pedestal which makes it possible to use the animal as its own control. In order to obtain access to food, the rat had to jump from its pedestal to a strip of wire mesh suspended from the ceiling of the deprivation chamber. The number as well as duration of hangings on the wire mesh was continuously recorded. An initial increase in jumping frequency was associated with decreased duration of hangings. This initial effect was totally reversed from the fourth day of deprivation onwards. It is suggested that the threshold in decision making to initiate voluntary movement is altered during the course of REM sleep deprivation.
D000818:Animals; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000502:physiology; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000502:physiology*; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000502:physiology
D011954:Receptors, Dopamine