The preoptic hypothalamus and basal forebrain play opposing roles in the descending modulation of sleep and wakefulness in infant rats

Ethan J Mohns; Karl A E Karlsson; Mark S Blumberg

doi:10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.04652.x

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The preoptic hypothalamus and basal forebrain play opposing roles in the descending modulation of sleep and wakefulness in infant rats

Journal article

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The preoptic hypothalamus and basal forebrain play opposing roles in the descending modulation of sleep and wakefulness in infant rats

Ethan J Mohns, Karl A E Karlsson and Mark S Blumberg

The European journal of neuroscience, Vol.23(5), pp.1301-1310

03/2006

DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.04652.x

PMCID: PMC2645537

PMID: 16553791

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Abstract

Recent findings in infant rats suggest that the preoptic area (POA) and/or basal forebrain (BF) contribute to developmental changes in sleep and wake organization between postnatal day 2 (P2) and P9. To examine the contributions of these forebrain areas to sleep and wakefulness, separate lesions of the POA or BF, or combined lesions (POA + BF), were performed at P9, and precollicular transections were performed at P2. In addition, modafinil, a drug of unknown mechanism of action the effects of which on sleep and wakefulness have been hypothesized to result from inhibition of POA activity, was administered at P2 and P9. Finally, extracellular neuronal activity was recorded from the POA and BF. POA lesions decreased sleep bout durations and increased wake bout durations. BF lesions inhibited sleep bout durations to a lesser extent, while leaving wake bout durations unaffected. POA + BF lesions produced a combination of these effects, resulting in short bouts of sleep and wakefulness similar to those of transected P8 rats. Even at P2, transections decreased sleep bout durations. The finding, however, that the sleep-inhibiting and wake-promoting effects of modafinil were more potent at P9 than at P2 suggests increasing sleep-wake modulation by the POA between these two ages. Finally, neuronal recordings confirmed the presence of state-dependent neurons within the infant POA and BF. We propose that the POA, in addition to promoting sleep, inhibits wakefulness via direct and indirect inhibitory connections with wake-promoting neurons in the BF, and that this inhibitory influence increases across early development.

Animals, Newborn

Central Nervous System Stimulants - pharmacology

Preoptic Area - drug effects

Rats

Male

Neurons - cytology

Preoptic Area - metabolism

Preoptic Area - cytology

Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Prosencephalon - drug effects

Animals

Prosencephalon - cytology

Preoptic Area - pathology

Wakefulness - physiology

Benzhydryl Compounds - pharmacology

Electromyography

Neurons - metabolism

Prosencephalon - metabolism

Sleep - physiology

Neurons - drug effects

Prosencephalon - pathology

Details

Title: Subtitle: The preoptic hypothalamus and basal forebrain play opposing roles in the descending modulation of sleep and wakefulness in infant rats
Creators: Ethan J Mohns - Program in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, 52242, USA
Karl A E Karlsson
Mark S Blumberg
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The European journal of neuroscience, Vol.23(5), pp.1301-1310
DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.04652.x
PMID: 16553791
PMCID: PMC2645537
NLM abbreviation: Eur J Neurosci
ISSN: 0953-816X
eISSN: 1460-9568
Publisher: France
Grant note: MH50701 / NIMH NIH HHS MH66424 / NIMH NIH HHS R29 MH050701 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH050701-13 / NIMH NIH HHS K02 MH066424-07 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH050701 / NIMH NIH HHS K02 MH066424 / NIMH NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 03/2006
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biology
Record Identifier: 9984002336402771

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