Sleep Deprivation Alters Rat Ventral Prostate Morphology, Leading to Glandular Atrophy: A Microscopic Study Contrasted with the Hormonal Assays

Daniel P Venâncio,Adriano Zager,Patricia S L Vilamaior,Sérgio Tufik,Monica L Andersen,Sebastião R Taboga,Marco T De Mello,Fernanda C Santos

doi:10.1155/2012/285938

Abstract

We investigated the effect of 96 h paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) and 21-day sleep restriction (SR) on prostate morphology using stereological assays in male rats. After euthanasia, the rat ventral prostate was removed, weighed, and prepared for conventional light microscopy. Microscopic analysis of the prostate reveals that morphology of this gland was altered after 96 h of PSD and 21 days of SR, with the most important alterations occurring in the epithelium and stroma in the course of both procedures compared with the control group. Both 96 h PSD and 21-day SR rats showed lower serum testosterone and higher corticosterone levels than control rats. The significance of our result referring to the sleep deprivation was responsible for deep morphological alterations in ventral prostate tissue, like to castration microscopic modifications. This result is due to the marked alterations in hormonal status caused by PSD and SR.

Highlights

Sleep deprivation (SD) is a frequent condition in modern life due to the demands of our lifestyles [1], and sleep loss may trigger several alterations in organisms, including immunological effects [2,3,4,5], memory deficits [6,7,8], and hormonal abnormalities [9,10,11,12,13,14]
Our laboratory group has consistently demonstrated the effects of paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) on overall hormonal profiles in male rats; we have found lower testosterone and estrone levels, but higher levels of progesterone, prolactin, corticosterone, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) [11, 12]
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 96hour SD and 21-day sleep restriction (SR) on prostate morphology in rats

Summary

Introduction

Sleep deprivation (SD) is a frequent condition in modern life due to the demands of our lifestyles [1], and sleep loss may trigger several alterations in organisms, including immunological effects [2,3,4,5], memory deficits [6,7,8], and hormonal abnormalities [9,10,11,12,13,14]. Obstructive sleep apnea, and other sleep disturbances may cause metabolic syndrome, which is strongly associated with male sex hormone alterations [15]. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is frequently associated with decreased testosterone concentrations [17], fatigue, and erectile dysfunction [18, 19]. Our laboratory group has consistently demonstrated the effects of paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) on overall hormonal profiles in male rats; we have found lower testosterone and estrone levels, but higher levels of progesterone, prolactin, corticosterone, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) [11, 12]. PSD is inherently a stress condition, and other stress modalities

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Conclusion