Sleep architecture and regulation of male dusky antechinus, an Australian marsupial

Sleep

article

Zaid, Erika¹  Vyssotski, Alexei L²  Lesku, John A¹ 

[1] School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University;Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich/ETH Zurich

关键词: EEG;    metatheria;    REM sleep;    sleep deprivation;    sleep homeostasis;    slow-wave activity;   

DOI  :  10.1093/sleep/zsac114

学科分类：生理学

来源: American Academy of Sleep Medicine

【 摘 要 】

Study Objectives In this study, we (1) describe sleep behavior and architecture, and (2) explore how sleep is regulated in dusky antechinus (Antechinus swainsonii), a small insectivorous marsupial. Our aim is to provide the first investigation into sleep homeostasis in a marsupial.Methods Wild-caught male dusky antechinus (n = 4) were individually housed in large indoor cages under a natural photoperiod of 10.5 h light/13.5 h dark. Continuous recordings of EEG, EMG, and tri-axial accelerometry were performed under baseline conditions and following 4-h of extended wakefulness.Results Antechinus engage in SWS and REM sleep. Some aspects of these states are mammal-like, including a high amount (23%) of REM sleep, but other features are reminiscent of birds, notably, hundreds of short sleep episodes (SWS mean: 34 s; REM sleep: 10 s). Antechinus are cathemeral and sleep equally during the night and day. Immediately after the sleep deprivation ended, the animals engaged in more SWS, longer SWS episodes, and greater SWS SWA. The animals did not recover lost REM sleep.Conclusions Sleep architecture in dusky antechinus was broadly similar to that observed in eutherian and marsupial mammals, but with interesting peculiarities. We also provided the first evidence of SWS homeostasis in a marsupial mammal.

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