Microinjections of muscimol and bicuculline into the pontine reticular formation modify the sleep-waking cycle in the rat

Neurosci Lett. 1991 Aug 5;129(1):95-7. doi: 10.1016/0304-3940(91)90728-c.

Abstract

The role of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the sleep-waking cycle was evaluated by means of microinjections of muscimol and bicuculline into the rat pontine reticular formation (PRF). Muscimol (20 ng) produced a marked increase in wakefulness (70%), a decrease in slow-wave sleep (SWS) (35%) and a remarkable delay in the onset of both SWS and paradoxical sleep, without modifying the percentage of the latter. Bicuculline (4 ng) shortened SWS latency by about 70%. These results suggest that GABAergic transmission in the PRF is involved in the regulation of sleep-waking cycle in the rat.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bicuculline / administration & dosage
  • Bicuculline / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Microinjections
  • Muscimol / administration & dosage
  • Muscimol / pharmacology*
  • Pons / drug effects*
  • Pons / physiology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Receptors, GABA-A / physiology
  • Reticular Formation / drug effects*
  • Reticular Formation / physiology
  • Sleep / drug effects*
  • Synaptic Transmission
  • Wakefulness / drug effects

Substances

  • Receptors, GABA-A
  • Muscimol
  • Bicuculline