Sleep deprivation has a neuroprotective role in a traumatic brain injury of the rat

• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2012.09.037
• Publication Date: 2012-09-28T00:06:43Z
• Authors: Marina Martinez-V...; Francisco Estrada...; Erika Tabla-Ramon; Hilda Navarro-Arg...; Nathan Ortiz-Lailzon; Alejandro Hernánd...; Barbara Solis; Ricardo Martínez ...; Adan Perez Arredondo; Julio Morales-Gomez; Ruben Gonzalez-Ri...; Karen Nava-Talavera; Luz Navarro
• Keywords: Male; Time Factors; Drinking; Motor Cortex; Brain; Sleep, REM; Somatosensory Cortex; Darkness; Circadian Rhythm; Rats; Eating; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Brain Injuries; Animals; Sleep Deprivation; Rats, Wistar

During the process of a brain injury, responses to produce damage and cell death are activated, but self-protective responses that attempt to maintain the integrity and functionality of the brain are also activated. We have previously reported that the recovery from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is better in rats if it occurs during the dark phase of the diurnal cycle when rats are in the waking period. This suggests that wakefulness causes a neuroprotective role in this type of injury. Here we report that 24h of total sleep deprivation after a TBI reduces the morphological damage and enhances the recovery of the rats, as seen on a neurobiological scale.