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Sleep states alter activity of suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons

Nature Neuroscience volume 6, pages 1086–1090 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

The timing of sleep and wakefulness in mammals is governed by a sleep homeostatic process and by the circadian clock of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which has a molecular basis for rhythm generation. By combining SCN electrical activity recordings with electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings in the same animal (the Wistar rat), we discovered that changes in vigilance states are paralleled by strong changes in SCN electrophysiological activity. During rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, neuronal activity in the SCN was elevated, and during non-REM (NREM) sleep, it was lowered. We also carried out selective sleep deprivation experiments to confirm that changes in SCN electrical activity are caused by changes in vigilance state. Our results indicate that the 24-hour pattern in electrical activity that is controlled by the molecular machinery of the SCN is substantially modified by afferent information from the central nervous system.

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Figure 1: Vigilance states, slow-wave activity and SCN neuronal activity.
Figure 2: Suprachiasmatic nuclei neuronal activity.
Figure 3: Correlation between SCN neuronal activity and EEG power density.
Figure 4: Vigilance state transitions.
Figure 5: Deprivation studies.

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Acknowledgements

We thank W.J. Schwartz, E.R. de Kloet and P. Maquet for critical reading of the manuscript, and J.A.M. Janse and H. Duindam for technical support. This research was supported by Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek grant 425-204-02.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurophysiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Box 9604, Leiden, 2300 RC, The Netherlands

    Tom Deboer, Mariska J Vansteensel & Johanna H Meijer

  2. Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, H-1088, Hungary

    László Détári

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Correspondence to Johanna H Meijer.

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Deboer, T., Vansteensel, M., Détári, L. et al. Sleep states alter activity of suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons. Nat Neurosci 6, 1086–1090 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1122

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