Article
Effects of a D2 receptor agonist RO 41–9067 alone and with clonidine on sleep parameters in the rat

https://doi.org/10.1016/0091-3057(95)02023-3Get rights and content

Abstract

The effects of RO 41–9067, a D2 dopamine receptors agonist, on different sleep parameters were studied in the rat. RO 41–9067 dose dependently decreased paradoxical sleep, and only at the higher dose increased waking during the light period. In contrast, the higher dose of RO 41–9067 increased paradoxical sleep and decreased waking during the dark period. Finally, the combination of RO 41–9067 and clonidine significantly prevent the decrease of total sleep time and paradoxical sleep found after clonidine alone. These results, compared with those of classical D2 dopamine receptors agonists, suggest an action for RO 41–9067 on D2 dopamine receptors depending on the cerebral structure, a different action particularly on the striatum and/or on the structures responsible for paradoxical sleep. An active role for D2 dopamine receptors and an interaction between noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems in the regulation of sleep is proposed.

References (26)

  • D. Herve et al.

    Interactions réciproques entre les systèmes noradrénergiques et dopaminergiques dans le cortex préfrontal et l'aire tegmentale ventrale

    Encephale

    (1989)
  • I. Hilakivi

    Biogenic amines in the regulation of wakefulness and sleep

    Med. Biol.

    (1987)
  • D.A. Hopkins et al.

    Substantia nigra projections to the reticular formation, superior colliculus and central gray in the rat, cat and monkey

    Neurosci. Lett.

    (1976)
  • Cited by (16)

    • Neonatal tricyclic antidepressant clomipramine treatment reduces the spike-wave discharge activity of the adult WAG/Rij rat

      2012, Brain Research Bulletin
      Citation Excerpt :

      SWDs were almost completely missing during REM sleep (Coenen et al., 1991; Drinkenburg et al., 1991; Sarkisova and Van Luijtelaar, 2011). Decreased activity of the serotonergic and/or noradrenergic system or increased cholinergic transmission may cause increased amount of REM sleep (Thase, 2006), while enhanced dopamine level may decrease REM sleep (Python et al., 1996). Neonatal clomipramine treatment reduces (i) the expression of serotonin transporter mRNA in the dorsal raphe nuclei (Hansen and Mikkelsen, 1998), (ii) the number of serotonin transporter-immunoreactive fibres in the cortex (Maciag et al., 2006), (iii) the tryptophan hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the raphe nuclei (Maciag et al., 2006) and (iv) the firing frequency of the dorsal raphe neurons (Yavari et al., 1993) in adult rats.

    • Effects of selective dopamine D4 receptor antagonist, L-741,741, on sleep and wakefulness in the rat

      2006, Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text