Increased voluntary alcohol drinking concurrent with REM-sleep deprivation.
The alcohol intake of twenty adult Long-Evans male rats was recorded before, during and after rapid eye movement sleep (REM) deprivation produced with the flowerpot technique modified by using a cuff pedestal and an electrified grid floor instead of water. The alcohol intake reached a steady level of 2.8 g/kg/day in the 3 weeks before REM deprivation. During seven REM-sleep deprivation days the alcohol intake was significantly elevated, finally increasing to 3.7 g/kg/day. A rebound decrease in alcohol drinking was then observed during the "REM-rebound" phase immediately after the termination of REM-sleep deprivation. The results suggest a possible vicious circle of REM-sleep deprivation increasing alcohol drinking and alcohol intake causing REM-sleep deprivation.
D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012892:Sleep Deprivation; D012895:Sleep, REM; D013997:Time Factors