Warm sensitive neurons of the preoptic area regulate ambient temperature related changes in sleep in the rat.
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Date
2011-07
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Abstract
Warm sensitive neurons (WSN) play a major role not only in
body temperature regulation, but also in sleep regulation. The present
study was undertaken to investigate the role of WSN of the preoptic area
(POA) in mediating the ambient temperature (Tamb) related changes in
sleep. The effect of Tamb changes on sleep and body temperature was
studied in rats before and after destruction of WSN of the POA by local
intracerebral injection of capsaicin. Though the rats preferred 27°C Tamb,
they slept maximum at 30°C. After destruction of WSN of the POA, slow
wave sleep (SWS) peak was brought down to 27°C, which was the preferred
Tamb of the rats. This indicates that WSN of the POA mediate the increase
in SWS, at temperatures higher than preferred Tamb. On the other hand,
in WSN destroyed rats, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was maximum at
33°C. It suggests that the REM sleep generation is under inhibitory control
of the WSN of the POA. The study supports several earlier reports that the
neurons of the POA play a key role in coordinating sleep and body
temperature regulation.
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Keywords
capsaicin, warm sensitive neurons, ambient temperature, sleep, body temperature, preoptic area, thermal preference
Citation
Kumar Deependra, Kumar Velayudhan Mohan, Mallick Hruda Nanda. Warm sensitive neurons of the preoptic area regulate ambient temperature related changes in sleep in the rat. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 2011 Jul-Sept; 55(3): 262-271.