Protein synthesis in rat brain during sleep

The in vivo response to REM (rapid eye movement) sleep deprivation in rats was evaluated in terms of protein synthesis. Rapid eye movement sleep deprivation was induced by the water tank technique. Five experimental groups were used: normal controls; REM deprived; stressed controls; REM deprived and then allowed recuperative sleep; stressed and then allowed recuperative sleep. A general but non-significant decrease in protein synthesis was observed in the cerebral, cerebellar and brain stem fractions of the REM-deprived group compared to the stressed controls. The REM-deprived and then recuperated group exhibited an increased protein synthesis in the cerebellum but decreased protein in the cerebral and brain stem fractions, compared to the stressed controls. These observations suggest that non-specific stimulation (e.g. stress, emotional and environmental) influences brain metabolism as expressed in protein synthesis, during sleep. Furthermore, REM sleep appears to have a permissive role in the response to this stimulation.