title: Effects of aniracetam on impaired sleep patterns in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to determine the pattern of sleep disturbances and the effects on sleep of aniracetam, a cognitive enhancer, in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). Compared with normotensive control rats, SHRSP exhibited an impaired sleep pattern characterized by suppressed diurnal rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and excessive nocturnal non-REM sleep. At a dose of 30 mg/kg per day p.o., aniracetam increased REM sleep in the light period after administration for 5 consecutive days. Consequently, suppressed REM sleep in SHRSP was restored by repeated treatment with aniracetam. Aniracetam could be useful in improving REM sleep impairment associated with vascular dementia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biocybernetics, Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan. mkimura@i-mde.tmd.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inoué
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017286:Polysomnography; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects*; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D018697:Nootropic Agents; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; C036466:aniracetam