Effects of sleep deprivation on learning and memory and pCREB level in hippocampus of mice

Abstract

Objective To observe the effects of sleep deprivation(SD)on learning and memory and phos-phorylated cyclic AMP responsive element binding protein(pCREB) expression in hippocampus of mice,and to explore the mechanism of cognitive change after SD. Methods Twenty female C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into sleep deprivation group(SD, n = 10) and normal cage control group (CC,n = 10). Touch method was used to establish the sleep deprivation model. 30 days after SD,all the animals were subjected for Morris Water Maze (MWM) to test mean escape latency and percentage of time spent in the target quadrant. pCREB level in hippocampus was tested with Western blot. Results The mean escape latency in SD group in the second and third day of MWM was (29.31 ±4.93) s and (25.33 ±5.06)s, respectively, and was longer than that in CC group ((26.05 ±5.96)s and (19.35 ±7. 85)s,respectively). Mice in SD group spent less time in the target quadrant than that in CC group((23.61 ±9.86)% and (37.46 ±7. 51)%,.respectively, P<0.05). Results of Western blot for pCREB revealed that the pCREB level in hippocampus in sleep deprivation group was significantly lower than that in control group(0.71 ±0.03 and 0.82 ±0.06, respectively, P<0.01) . Conclusion The impairment of spatial learning and memory ability in sleep deprivation animals may be associated with the reduction of pCREB in hippocampus. Key words: Sleep deprivation; Learning; Memory; Phosphorylated cyclic AMP responsive element binding protein(pCREB)