Sleep disturbance in clinical and preclinical scrapie-infected sheep measured by polysomnography.

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterised by neuronal loss and abnormal deposition of pathological proteins in the nervous system. Among the most common neurodegenerative diseases are Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances are one of the most common symptoms in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, one of the main objectives in the study of TSEs is to try to establish an early diagnosis, as clinical signs do not appear until the damage to the central nervous system is very advanced, which prevents any therapeutic approach. In this paper, we provide the first description of sleep disturbance caused by classical scrapie in clinical and preclinical sheep using polysomnography compared to healthy controls. Fifteen sheep classified into three groups, clinical, preclinical and negative control, were analysed. The results show a decrease in total sleep time as the disease progresses, with significant changes between control, clinical and pre-clinical animals. The results also show an increase in sleep fragmentation in clinical animals compared to preclinical and control animals. In addition, sheep with clinical scrapie show a total loss of Rapid Eye Movement sleep (REM) and alterations in Non Rapid Eyes Movement sleep (NREM) compared to control sheep, demonstrating more shallow sleep. Although further research is needed, these results suggest that prion diseases also produce sleep disturbances in animals and that polysomnography could be a diagnostic tool of interest in clinical and preclinical cases of prion diseases.

Behavioral health and sleep problems among US Army veterinarians and veterinary technicians participating in the Millennium Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalences and relative odds of mental health problems, suicidal ideation, psychotropic medication use, problem drinking, trouble sleeping, and lack of social support among veterinarians and veterinary technicians, compared with other medical professionals, in the US Army. SAMPLE: 7,744 US Army personnel (957 officers [101 veterinarians and 856 physicians and dentists] and 6,787 enlisted personnel [334 veterinary technicians and 6,453 medics]) participating in the Millennium Cohort Study. PROCEDURES: Eligible participants completed ≥ 1 survey while serving as an Army veterinarian, veterinary technician, physician, general dentist, or medic. Analysis methods including multivariable logistic regression adjusted for covariates and stratified by pay grade were used to investigate associations between each health-care occupation and outcomes of interest. RESULTS: Veterinarians had higher reported prevalences of mental health problems, trouble sleeping, and lack of social support than did nontrauma physicians, trauma physicians, or dentists. On multivariable analysis, veterinarians had higher odds of mental health problems, trouble sleeping, and lack of social support, compared with physicians and dentists combined; odds for these outcomes were also higher for veterinarians, compared with various individual reference groups. Veterinary technicians had lower reported prevalence and lower odds of psychotropic medication use, compared with medics. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Further examination of Army policies and organizational structures related to veterinarians may be warranted, along with the development of policies and interventions designed to improve mental health, sleep quality, and social support among military veterinarians.

Sleep Disorders in dogs: A Pathophysiological and Clinical Review.

Sleep is a fundamental process in mammals, including domestic dogs. Disturbances in sleep affect physiological functions like cognitive and physical performance, immune response, pain sensation and increase the risk of diseases. In dogs, sleep can be affected by several conditions, with narcolepsy, REM sleep behavior disorder and sleep breathing disorders being the most frequent causes. Furthermore, sleep disturbances can be a symptom of other primary diseases where they can contribute to the worsening of clinical signs. This review describes reciprocally interacting sleep and wakefulness promoting systems and how their dysfunction can explain the pathophysiological mechanisms of sleep disorders. Additionally, this work discusses the clinical characteristics, diagnostic tools and available treatments for these disorders while highlighting areas in where further studies are needed so as to improve their treatment and prevention.

Psychogenic stress in hospitalized veterinary patients: Causation, implications, and therapies.

OBJECTIVE: To review the sources, adverse effects, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of psychogenic stress in hospitalized human and veterinary patients. DATA SOURCES: Data were collected by searching PubMed for veterinary and human literature from the past 10 years. HUMAN DATA SYNTHESIS: Psychogenic stress has been linked to immune suppression; gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and cutaneous diseases; delayed wound healing; alterations in pain perception; and neurologic impairment. Sources of psychogenic stress include environmental alterations such as excessive noise and light, social and physical factors, sleep disruption, drugs, and underlying disease. Nonpharmacologic options for stress reduction include environmental and treatment modifications, music therapy, and early mobilization. Pharmacologic options include sedation with benzodiazepines and dexmedetomidine. Trazodone and melatonin have been examined for use in sleep promotion but are not currently recommended as standard treatments in ICU. VETERINARY DATA SYNTHESIS: Activation of the stress response in veterinary patients is largely the same as in people, as are the affected body systems. Possible sources of stress can include social, physical, and environmental factors. No gold standard currently exists for the identification and quantification of stress. A combination of physical examination findings and the results of serum biochemistry, CBC, and biomarker testing can be used to support the diagnosis. Stress scales can be implemented to identify stressed patients and assess severity. Nonpharmacologic treatment options include low-stress handling, pheromones, environmental modifications, and sleep promotion. Pharmacologic options include trazodone, benzodiazepines, dexmedetomidine, and melatonin. CONCLUSION: The prevalence and clinical significance of psychogenic stress in hospitalized veterinary patients is unknown. Future studies are needed to specifically examine the causative factors of psychogenic stress and the effects of various therapies on stress reduction. The recognition and reduction of psychogenic stress in veterinary patients can lead to improvements in patient care and welfare.

Retrospective evaluation of episodic collapse in the horse in a referred population: 25 cases (1995-2009).

BACKGROUND: Episodic collapse in horses has equine welfare and human safety implications. There are, however, no published case series describing this syndrome. OBJECTIVES: To characterize the cause and outcomes for horses referred for investigation of episodic collapse. ANIMALS: Twenty-five horses referred for investigation of single or multiple episodes of collapse. METHODS: Retrospective study. Clinical records from the Dick Vet Equine Hospital, University of Edinburgh from November 1995 to July 2009 were searched using the following keywords: collapse, collapsing, fall, syncope. Collapse was defined as an incident in which the horse lost postural tone with or without progression to recumbency and with or without loss of consciousness. Long-term follow-up information was obtained by telephone conversation with the owner. RESULTS: A final diagnosis was reached in 11 cases, namely cardiac arrhythmia (4), right-sided heart failure (1), hypoglycemia (2), generalized seizures (2), and sleep disorder (2). A presumptive diagnosis was reached in 8 cases, namely neurocardiogenic syncope (5), exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (2), and generalized seizures (1). No diagnosis was reached in 6 cases despite comprehensive investigations. Three horses were euthanized at presentation. Treatment was attempted in 9 horses with 6 cases having successful outcome before discharge. Follow-up information was available for 14 of 19 horses discharged from the hospital. Only 1 of these horses was observed to collapse after discharge. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Definitive diagnosis was more likely to be reached in cases with multiple episodes of collapse. Horses in which 1 episode of collapse occurred did not necessarily collapse again.

Diagnosis of rapid eye movement sleep disorder with electroencephalography and treatment with tricyclic antidepressants in a dog.

A 9-month-old, female Labrador retriever mix was presented for two types of seizure-like episodes, one of which occurred only during sleep. The two types of episodes were morphologically distinct. An electroencephalogram (EEG) demonstrated that the sleep-associated episodes occurred during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, supporting a diagnosis of a REM behavior disorder. Based on their morphology and response to antiseizure medications, the waking episodes were diagnosed as seizures. The animal was also diagnosed with an obsessive-compulsive and generalized anxiety disorder. The REM behavior disorder and anxiety-related behaviors improved with tricyclic antidepressant therapy.

Feline immunodeficiency virus as a model for study of lentivirus infection of the central nervous system.

Feline immunodeficiency virus infects the CNS and results in predictable pathophysiology strikingly similar to that seen with HIV-1 infection of humans. The observed pathophysiology is mimicked in several physiologically assessed modalities, further supporting the validity of the feline model. Peripheral and control evoked potential findings and the occurrence of the sleep architecture changes in both cat and human disease provide an intriguing focus for further investigation. Although structurally diverse in an absolute sense, FIV and HIV-1 share basic structural features and commonalities of their life cycle. It is likely that by understanding the common mechanisms by which these lentiviruses influence CNS function, a more complete understanding of the neurological deficits seen in HIV-1 infected patients will be obtained. The cat model is particularly valuable for study of CNS disease, since it allows detailed analyses of events during the acute phase of infection, under circumstances in which the nature and timing of the infection are carefully controlled. The availability of molecular clones for mutational analysis will facilitate mapping of genomic regions critical to the perturbation of CNS function. It is suggested that development of intervention strategies in the cat model will yield treatment modalities directly applicable to HIV-1 infection of humans.

State-related changes in breathing. Are we missing sleep-disordered breathing syndromes in veterinary patients?

In recent decades, treatment of sleep disorders has developed rapidly. Prevalent and severe sleep disorders affecting respiration have been discovered in clinical sleep disorders centers. Although sleep studies are not currently, and may never become, a clinical tool for veterinarians, evidence from investigative work shows that dogs, at least, can suffer from "sleep-disordered breathing" syndromes similar to those affecting humans. The physiology and pathophysiology of sleep and breathing are strikingly similar in dogs and humans.

Movement disorders during sleep in cats and dogs.

Spontaneous sleep movement disorders in 5 cats and 3 dogs were studied. Objective abnormalities during sleep were confirmed by electrographic or behavioral monitoring techniques in all animals. The cause of the disorder was CNS disease in 3 animals. A cause was not discovered in the other 5 animals, although at necropsy, 2 were found to have thyroid tumors. Many pharmacologic treatments were ineffectual, but trials with the benzodiazepine tranquilizer, clonazepam, suggested it will prove useful in controlling violent movements during rapid-eye-movement sleep.

A disorder of rapid eye movement sleep in a cat.

A young female cat with no neurologic abnormality during wakefulness was discovered to have violent motor activity during rapid eye movement sleep. Various characteristics of the disorder, which differentiated these episodes from epileptic seizures, suggested that the movements resulted from an exaggeration of phasic excitation during rapid eye movement sleep.