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Ultradian cycles in mice: definitions and links with REMS and NREMS

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Abstract

Sleep can be organized in two quite different ways across homeothermic species: either in one block (monophasic), or in several bouts across the 24 h (polyphasic). Yet, the main relationships between variables, as well as regulating mechanisms, are likely to be similar. Correlations and theories on sleep regulation should thus be examined on both types of sleepers. In previous studies on monophasic humans, we have shown preferential links between the number of ultradian cycles and the rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) time, rather than with its counterpart non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS). Here, the sleep of 26 polyphasic mice was examined, both to better describe the NREMS distribution, which is far more complex than in humans, and to replicate the analyses performed on humans. As in humans, the strongest links with the number of cycles were with REMS. Links were not significant with NREMS taken as a whole, although positive correlations were found with the NREMS immediately preceding REMS episodes and inversely significant with the residue. This convergence between monophasic and polyphasic patterns supports the central role played by REMS in sleep alternation.

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Abbreviations

REMS:

Rapid eye movement sleep

NREMS:

Non-rapid eye movement sleep

Ncy:

Number of ultradian sleep cycles

PR-NREMS:

Pre-REMS NREMS immediately precedes REMS episodes

Res-NREMS:

Residual NREMS is found at some distance from the consecutive REMS episode

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Mrs. Bethan Wallace, who contributed at many stages in the writing of this manuscript. This work was supported by a grant of SOMALCPE (Brussels), a private institution exclusively dedicated to research in psychiatry. Paul Linkowski is supported by the Belgian Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique. The experiments comply with the “Principles of animal care”, publication No. 86-23, revised 1985 of the National Institute of Health, and also with the current laws in France.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CHU Tivoli, Université Libre de Bruxelles, av. Max Buset 34, 7100, La Louvière, Belgium

    O. Le Bon

  2. Sleep Research Unit, Brugmann University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium

    O. Le Bon & E. Streel

  3. INSERM U288, CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière 91, Bd de l’Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France

    D. Popa, C. Alexandre, C. Lena & J. Adrien

  4. Hopital Erasme, Service de Psychiatrie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, 1070, Brussels, Belgium

    P. Linkowski

  5. Faculté de Médecine Pierre et Marie Curie, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris6, Site Pitié-Salpêtrière, IFR 70 des Neurosciences, UMR S677, 75013, Paris, France

    D. Popa, C. Alexandre, C. Lena & J. Adrien

  6. INSERM U677, 75013, Paris, France

    J. Adrien

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  1. O. Le Bon
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  2. D. Popa
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  3. E. Streel
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  4. C. Alexandre
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  5. C. Lena
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  6. P. Linkowski
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Correspondence to O. Le Bon.

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Le Bon, O., Popa, D., Streel, E. et al. Ultradian cycles in mice: definitions and links with REMS and NREMS. J Comp Physiol A 193, 1021–1032 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-007-0253-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-007-0253-7

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