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