Neuropeptide‐Y and prepro‐orexin gene expression increases after continuous sleep deprivation but not sleep restriction in rats

Abstract

The sleep loss is characterized by increased food intake in human and rats. However, the statement that in rats the sleep deprivation‐induced hyperphagia is followed by weight loss, suggests that the physiological factors involved are different from those proposed to human. Our objective was to investigate the sleep deprivation‐induced changes on feeding behavior and body weight by the platform technique in rats and to access the repercussions on hypothalamic expression of neuropeptides related to sleep and food intake control. Rats receiving a liquid diet were sleep deprived by the platform technique for 24, 48, 72, 96 hours and for 21 days by sleep restriction. We investigated feed behavior, body weight, and hypothalamic prepro‐orexin, neuropeptide Y, insulin receptor, agouti related peptide and POMC expression. Increased gene expression of the prepro‐orexin was closer related to sleep debit than food intake changes. Despite of unchanged body weight, rats continuously sleep deprived, but not the restricted ones, showed increases in prepro‐orexin and neuropeptide Y gene expression which can interacts to food intake augmentation during sleep deprivation.Financial support: FAPESP, CNPq and AFIP.