Sleep deprived rats undergo a predictable sequence of physiological changes, including changes in skin condition, increased energy expenditure, and altered thermoregulation. Amino-cupric-silver staining was used to identify sleep deprivation related changes in the brain. A significant increase in staining was observed in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the hypothalamus of rats with high sleep loss (>45 h) vs. their yoked controls. Follow-up experiments showed that staining was not significantly different in rats sleep deprived for less than 45 h, suggesting that injurious sleep deprivation-related processes occur above a threshold quantity of sleep loss. These anatomical changes suggest that the effects of sleep deprivation may be related to protein metabolism in certain brain regions.

We have performed the first study of neuronal activity in freely-moving reptiles. 23 brainstem units were recorded from areas throughout the reticular formation, during wakefulness and quiescence in the box turtle. These units responded to various sensory stimuli and increased firing rates in relation to motor activity during wakefulness. All but one unit showed significant decreases in discharge during quiescence. Group I cells (32%) fired mostly during active movements and exhibited silent periods of 5 min or longer during quiescence while group II cells (68%) maintained slow tonic activity in quiescence. Polygraphic data showed no consistent, cyclically occurring phasic events during quiescence.