title: Monoaminergic and cholinergic modulation of REM-sleep timing in rats.
abstract: The effects on sleep structure of systemic administration of benchmark cholinergic, serotonergic, and noradrenergic antagonists (QNB, ritanserin, metergoline, and prazosin) were characterized in rats using a new technique for identifying transitions (NRTs) from non-REM (NREM) sleep to REM sleep. In agreement with previous studies, all agents tested reduced REM-sleep expression (by 36-86%). In addition, the serotonergic and noradrenergic antagonists reduced NRT frequency (by 58-81%). The cholinergic antagonist QNB had no effect on NRT frequency. These findings suggest that blockade of serotonergic or noradrenergic receptors increases the interval between REM-sleep episodes, perhaps reducing the rate of accumulation of REM-sleep propensity. Blockade of cholinergic receptors, by contrast, decreases REM-sleep expression by interfering with REM-sleep maintenance, not by modulating REM-sleep timing. These conclusions are contrary to the predictions of a number of published models of REM-sleep timing.
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology Research, VA Medical Center, Sepulveda, CA 91343, USA.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Benington
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Heller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000502:physiology*; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008711:Metergoline / Q000494:pharmacology; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011224:Prazosin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011813:Quinuclidinyl Benzilate / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016713:Ritanserin / Q000494:pharmacology; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013565:Sympatholytics / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D013565:Sympatholytics; D016713:Ritanserin; D008711:Metergoline; D011813:Quinuclidinyl Benzilate; D011224:Prazosin