Sleep and neurochemical modulation by the nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPAR-α) in rat

•PPARα agonist Wy14643 enhances wakefulness as well as contents of catecholamines and adenosine.•PPARα antagonist MK-886 increases sleep and decreases the levels of catecholamines as well as adenosine.•PPARα modulates sleep–wake cycle and neurochemicals. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) is a nuclear protein that plays an essential role in diverse neurobiological processes. However, the role of PPARα on the sleep modulation is unknown. Here, rats treated with an intrahypothalamic injection of Wy14643 (10μg/1μL; PPARα agonist) enhanced wakefulness and decreased slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep whereas MK-886 (10μg/1μL; PPARα antagonist) promoted opposite effects. Moreover, Wy14643 increased dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and adenosine contents collected from nucleus accumbens. The levels of these neurochemicals were diminished after MK-886 treatment. The current findings suggest that PPARα may participate in the sleep and neurochemical modulation.