Effects of Alcohol Withdrawal on Sleep Macroarchitecture and Microarchitecture in Female and Male Rats

Authors' Affiliations

Marissa R. Jones, Department of Biomedical Sciences, James H Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Adam J. Brandner, Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Intergrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, United States Leandro F. Vendruscolo, Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Intergrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, United States George F. Koob, Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Intergrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, United States Janaina C. Vendruscolo, Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Intergrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, United States Brooke E. Schmeichel, Department of Biomedical Sciences, James H Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN

Location

Culp Room 304

Start Date

4-6-2022 10:00 AM

End Date

4-6-2022 11:00 AM

Faculty Sponsor’s Department

Biomedical Sciences

Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor

Brooke Schmeichel

Classification of First Author

Post-doctoral Fellow

Competition Type

Competitive

Type

Oral Presentation

Project's Category

Neuroscience

Abstract or Artist's Statement

Prevalence of sleep disruptions are higher among people with alcohol use disorders (AUD) compared to non-AUD individuals, particularly in alcohol withdrawal. Although women generally have a higher risk of developing sleep disorders, few studies have investigated sex differences in sleep disruptions following chronic alcohol exposure. The present study examined sex differences on sleep macroarchitecture (time spent in sleep and sleep onset latency) and microarchitecture (sleep bout rate and sleep spindles) prior to chronic, intermittent ethanol vapor exposure (baseline), during acute alcohol withdrawal and through protracted abstinence in female and male rats. Females and males showed reduced time spent in rapid eye-movement (REM) sleep during acute withdrawal, which returned to baseline levels in protracted abstinence. Females had decreased REM sleep onset latency during protracted abstinence more fragmentation of REM sleep than males. Although there were no overall changes to total time spent in non-REM (NREM) sleep during acute withdrawal, NREM intra-spindle frequency increased and returned to baseline levels following protracted abstinence, in both females and males. Results demonstrate macroarchitectural and microarchitectural changes in sleep following chronic alcohol exposure, suggesting need for therapeutic interventions for sleep disturbances during withdrawal in individuals with AUD. Sex differences were observed in REM sleep, highlighting the importance of including both sexes in alcohol-related sleep studies. Future studies aim to discover potential sleep biomarkers and how underlying neuronal mechanisms of chronic disrupted sleep perpetuate alcohol misuse.

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Apr 6th, 10:00 AM Apr 6th, 11:00 AM

Effects of Alcohol Withdrawal on Sleep Macroarchitecture and Microarchitecture in Female and Male Rats

Culp Room 304

Prevalence of sleep disruptions are higher among people with alcohol use disorders (AUD) compared to non-AUD individuals, particularly in alcohol withdrawal. Although women generally have a higher risk of developing sleep disorders, few studies have investigated sex differences in sleep disruptions following chronic alcohol exposure. The present study examined sex differences on sleep macroarchitecture (time spent in sleep and sleep onset latency) and microarchitecture (sleep bout rate and sleep spindles) prior to chronic, intermittent ethanol vapor exposure (baseline), during acute alcohol withdrawal and through protracted abstinence in female and male rats. Females and males showed reduced time spent in rapid eye-movement (REM) sleep during acute withdrawal, which returned to baseline levels in protracted abstinence. Females had decreased REM sleep onset latency during protracted abstinence more fragmentation of REM sleep than males. Although there were no overall changes to total time spent in non-REM (NREM) sleep during acute withdrawal, NREM intra-spindle frequency increased and returned to baseline levels following protracted abstinence, in both females and males. Results demonstrate macroarchitectural and microarchitectural changes in sleep following chronic alcohol exposure, suggesting need for therapeutic interventions for sleep disturbances during withdrawal in individuals with AUD. Sex differences were observed in REM sleep, highlighting the importance of including both sexes in alcohol-related sleep studies. Future studies aim to discover potential sleep biomarkers and how underlying neuronal mechanisms of chronic disrupted sleep perpetuate alcohol misuse.