To examine the effects of blindness on sleep/wakefulness states, we compared locomotor activity and delayed recovery from isoflurane anesthesia induced by hypnotics during light and dark periods in sighted CBA/N and blind CBA/J mice. Locomotor activity around the switch from the dark to light period significantly differed in both mice. Delayed recovery induced by brotizolam was attenuated in both periods in CBA/J mice. In addition, the period specificity of delayed recovery caused by suvorexant or diphenhydramine in CBA/N mice was abolished in CBA/J mice. These results suggest that blindness impairs sleep quality.
Keywords: blindness; light stimulation; sleep; wakefulness.