Food restriction alters the diurnal distribution of sleep in rats

Rachida Roky, Levente Kapás, Ping Taishi, Jidong Fang, James M. Krueger

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36 Scopus citations

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of restricting food and water intake to the light period on sleep and brain temperature (T(br)). Sprague-Dawley male rats were anesthetized and provided with electrodes and thermistors for electroencephalographic (EEG) and T(br) recordings. Baseline recordings were performed after a 3-week recovery period. After baseline recordings, access to food and water was restricted (FWR) to the light period for 29 days. During FWR, the diurnal distribution of rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS) and T(br) were reversed, while the distribution of non-REMS (NREMS) between the dark and light periods was attenuated. Daily food and water intake, body weight, and the diurnal distribution of EEG slow-wave activity within NREMS remained unchanged. In a separate study, sham-operated and pinealectomized rats were studied in a similar manner. The sleep responses of pinealectomized and sham-operated rats to FWR were similar. Further, FWR did not affect melatonin levels in the sham-operated rats, thereby suggesting that the pineal gland does not mediate the effects of FWR on sleep.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)697-703
Number of pages7
JournalPhysiology and Behavior
Volume67
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1999

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Behavioral Neuroscience

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