Brain-derived neurotrophic factor enhances spontaneous sleep in rats and rabbits.
Various growth factors are involved in sleep regulation. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) belongs to the neurotrophin family; it and its receptors are found in normal brain. Furthermore, cerebral cortical levels of BDNF mRNA have a diurnal variation and increase after sleep deprivation. Therefore, we investigated whether BDNF would promote sleep. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats (320-380 g) and 25 male New Zealand White rabbits (4.5-5.5 kg) were surgically implanted with electroencephalographic (EEG) electrodes, a brain thermistor, and a lateral intracerebroventricular cannula. The animals were injected intracerebroventricularly with pyrogen-free saline and, on a separate day, one of the following doses of BDNF: 25 or 250 ng in rabbits; 10, 50, or 250 ng in rats. The EEG, brain temperature, and motor activity were recorded for 23 h after the intracerebroventricular injections. BDNF increased time spent in non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) in rats and rabbits and REMS in rabbits. Current results provide further evidence that various growth factors are involved in sleep regulation.
Kushikata
T
T
Department of Veterinary and Comparative Anatomy, Pharmacology and Physiology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA.
Fang
J
J
Krueger
J M
JM
D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003624:Darkness; D004569:Electroencephalography; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000187:drug effects*
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D011994:Recombinant Proteins