title: Microinjection of neostigmine into the pontine reticular formation of cats enhances desynchronized sleep signs.
abstract: Microinjection of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor neostigmine into the dorsal pontine tegmentum of intact, freely moving cats produced significant changes in electrographic desynchronized (D) sleep signs and D sleep-like behavior. The percentage, frequency and duration of D sleep signs were increased and the latency to onset of D sleep signs was significantly reduced after neostigmine administration. The effects of neostigmine were dose-dependent and could be blocked by centrally administered atropine. This is the first demonstration that microinjection of an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor into the pons enhances D sleep signs. These data suggest that endogenously released acetylcholine can initiate and maintain the state of D sleep and strongly support the cholinergic hypothesis of D sleep generation.
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002415:Cats; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004569:Electroencephalography; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D009388:Neostigmine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011149:Pons / Q000187:drug effects*; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000502:physiology; D012154:Reticular Formation / Q000187:drug effects*; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D009388:Neostigmine; D001285:Atropine; D000109:Acetylcholine