title: Effects of sleep and sleep deprivation on interleukin-6, growth hormone, cortisol, and melatonin levels in humans.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of nocturnal sleep, partial night sleep deprivation, and sleep stages on circulating concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in relation to the secretory profiles of GH, cortisol, and melatonin. In 31 healthy male volunteers, blood samples were obtained every 30 min during 2 nights: uninterrupted, baseline sleep and partial sleep deprivation-early night (awake until 0300 h). Sleep was measured by electroencephalogram polysomnography. Sleep onset was associated with an increase in serum levels of IL-6 (P < 0.05) during baseline sleep. During PSD-E, the nocturnal increase in IL-6 was delayed until sleep at 0300 h. Sleep stage analyses indicated that the nocturnal increase in IL-6 occurred in association with stage 1-2 sleep and rapid eye movement sleep, but levels during slow wave sleep were not different from those while awake. The profile of GH across the 2 nights was similar to that of IL-6, whereas the circadian-driven hormones cortisol and melatonin showed no concordance with sleep. Loss of sleep may serve to decrease nocturnal IL-6 levels, with effects on the integrity of immune system functioning. Alternatively, given the association between sleep stages and IL-6 levels, depressed or aged populations who show increased amounts of REM sleep and a relative loss of slow wave sleep may have elevated nocturnal concentrations of IL-6 with implications for inflammatory disease risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California and San Diego Veterans Healthcare System, 92161, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Redwine
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hauger
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gillin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irwin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D012892:Sleep Deprivation; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D008550:Melatonin; D006854:Hydrocortisone