Evaluation of oxidative stress, spatial learning & memory following REM sleep deprivation in hippocampus of adult male rats

Abstract Aim and Sleep deprivation has many negative effects on body and specialy cognitive proceses of hippocampus. Oxidative stress due to this deprivation has a critical role in cell degeneration and behavioral changes in experimental animals and humans.On the other hand antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxides, catalane are the first body defense against free radicals. Present research was designed in order to evaluate oxidative stress in hippocampus, spatial learning and memory following rapid eye movement sleep deprivation in adult male rats. Methods and Materials: Forty Sprague- Dawelyadult male rats were used in this study. The animals randomly divided in five groups of trials and control. Flower pot technique was used for REM-SD of 72 hours. After REM-SD behavioral study was done by using Morris Water Maze. To study the oxidative stress the animals were decapitated 24 hours after behavioral experiments, hippocampus was separated, then homogenized and centrifuged. After those change in SOD activity was measured in supernatant accordance with proposed protocol of SOD kit (by Eliza fluorescent in 340 nm). Data analyzed by SPSS19 and the results presented in the form of Mean ± SD, P< 0.05 considered significant.. Our finding showed that short term REM-SD dose not lead to significant decrease of oxidative stress in hippocampus of trial groups comparing trials (P< 0.05). It is also showed that REM-SD significantly affected the learning and memory indexes in REM-SD groups than control animals (P<0.004, P<0.025) Based on our findings it changes in learning and memory following short term REM-SD due to mechanisms except oxidative stress in hippocampus. Also planning to improve sleep quality could have short-term or long-term benefits for hippocampus structures and human health in behavior, learning, memory, stress management & etc.