Action de la p-chlorophenylalanine sur le sommeil du babouin Papio papio

Abstract

Administration of PCPA (150–300 mg/kg) to the baboon Papio papio induces changes in sleep, mainly involving slow wave sleep. While Stage 1 is not altered the duration of Stage 2 is reduced (decrease in length of episodes of this stage and secondarily of their number). The duration of Stage 3 is also reduced (decrease in number of episodes). Restoration of slow sleep by 5-hydroxytryptophane demonstrates the validity of the serotonergic hypothesis in the baboon. Reduction in the length of paradoxical sleep, which is less marked, seems to be secondary to the changes in slow wave sleep. On the other hand the changes in its distribution in time during the night cannot be interpreted. The changes in sleep induced by PCPA in the baboon are of the same type as those observed in Macaca mulatta but they are not identical. This no doubt is due to the different enzymes in the nervous systems of primates of different genera.