Deficiency of Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone Signaling Is Associated with Sleep Alterations in the Dwarf Rat

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.21-08-02912.2001
• Publication Date: 2018-04-13T22:26:59Z
• Authors: Ferenc Obál; Jidong Fang; Ping Taishi; Balint Kacsóh; Janos Gardi; James M. Krueger
• Keywords: Growth hormone–releasing hormone

The somatotropic axis, and particularly growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), is implicated in the regulation of sleep-wake activity. To evaluate sleep chronic deficiency, activity was studied dwarf (dw/dw) rats that are known to have a defective GHRH signaling mechanism pituitary normal Lewis rats, parental strain dw/dw rats. In addition, expression receptor (GHRH-R) mRNA hypothalamus/preoptic region also determined by means reverse transcription-PCR, content hypothalamus measured. Hypothalamic/preoptic GHRH-R levels were decreased indicating deficits central GHRHergic transmission. Hypothalamic less than found had spontaneous nonrapid eye movement (NREMS) (light dark period) rapid (REMS) did control After 4 hr deprivation, rebound increases NREMS REMS rat. As fast Fourier analysis electroencephalogram (EEG), deprivation-induced enhancements EEG slow-wave only one-half response results compared with findings previously obtained GHRH-deficient transgenic mice. alterations attributed defect signaling, whereas decreases might result from deficiency