Aversive Memory, Anxiety-Related Behaviors, and Serum Neurochemical Levels in a Rat Model of Labored Sleep Loss

Sleep deprivation (SD) is emerging as a hot topic due to its health concerns. There are compelling reasons for a tremendous interest in neuroscience of sleep in recent years.. We aimed to evaluate how total sleep deprivation (TSD) and chronic partial sleep restriction (CPSR) might affect memory, anxiety-related behaviors, and the serum level of neurochemical markers such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and corticosterone in a rat model.. The disk-over-water (DOW) apparatus was employed to induce TSD and CPSR in male Wistar rats. The six study arms were as follows: cage control, 48 hours; cage control, seven days; DOW control, 48 hours; DOW control, seven days, TSD, and CPSR. Elevated plus-maze (EPM) was used to measure parameters (percentage of OAT, percentage of OAE, and locomotor activity) corresponding to anxiety and aversive memory. To measure serum BDNF and corticosterone levels using the ELISA method, blood samples were drawn from all rats on the fourth day at 5 P.M.. Our results demonstrated that TSD (P < 0.001) and CPSR (P < 0.001) induce memory impairment while exert anxiolytic-like effects in comparison with controls. Data showed that CPSR causes more memory impairment and anxiolytic-like effect in comparison to TSD (P < 0.001).These interventions however, did not alter the locomotor activity. Serum corticosterone level raised dramatically in CPSR rats in comparison to TSD and controls. Although the difference in serum BDNF level between TSD and CPSR arms was insignificant, it was markedly decreased in comparison to corresponding controls (P < 0.001).. Our findings suggest the more pronounced effect of CPSR rather than TSD in impairing aversive memory and reducing anxiety. Decreased BDNF and peaked corticosterone level in TSD and CPSR suggest the probable inflammatory processes involved in possible insults to the brain caused by SD..