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Role of Wakefulness Area in the Brainstem Reticular Formation in Regulating Rapid Eye Movement Sleep

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Sleep and Sleep Disorders

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Abstract

Rapid eye movement sleep is a unique paradoxical state within sleep period. Normally it follows deep sleep, is maintained for varying duration and may terminate in either sleep or wake state. During REM sleep some neurons increase firing, the REM-ON neurons, while some others cease firing, the REM-OFF neurons. Although the mechanism is not completely known, these REM sleep -related neurons are likely to play a significant role in the initiation and maintenance of REM sleep. It was proposed that GABA may be involved in the cessation of REM-OFF neurons and the classical sleep and waking areas in the brain stem are likely to modulate the REM-ON and REM-OFF neurons for the regulation of REM sleep.

Results from our single neuronal activity experiments in freely behaving animals confirmed that the brain stem area, which induce wakefulness inhibit the REM-ON neurons but stimulate the REM-OFF neurons. Microinjection studies revealed that the increase in REM sleep by the cholinergic input (possibly from REM-ON neurons) to the locus coeruleus (where REM-OFF neurons are located) is mediated through GABA. Thus, it is proposed that during wakefulness the REM-ON neurons are inhibited while the REM-OFF neurons are active. During sleep gradually the awake-related neurons slow down withdrawing their effects on REM sleep related neurons. This causes an increase in the REM-ON neuronal activity inducing release of acetylcholine on the GABA-ergic neurons in the locus coeruleus. GABA then inhibits the REM-OFF neurons resulting in the initiation of REM sleep. The presence of GABA in optimum concentration maintains the duration of REM sleep episode.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India

    Birendra N. Mallick

  2. School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India

    Satvinder Kaur, Stephen Thankachan & Dinesh Pal

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  1. Birendra N. Mallick
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  2. Satvinder Kaur
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  4. Dinesh Pal
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Mallick, B.N., Kaur, S., Thankachan, S., Pal, D. (2006). Role of Wakefulness Area in the Brainstem Reticular Formation in Regulating Rapid Eye Movement Sleep. In: Sleep and Sleep Disorders. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-27682-3_5

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