Fetal serotoninergic transplants in the fourth ventricle of adult rodents reverse sleep disturbances induced by neonatal administration of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine.

ABSTRACT

Rats received a neonatal (at 4 days of age) intracisternal injection of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine which eliminates serotonin (5-HT) throughout adulthood. Sleep recordings, performed on these rats at adult age, demonstrated significant decreases in paradoxical sleep. Dissociated fetal 5-HT cell suspensions transplanted in the IVth ventricle of these rats restored paradoxical sleep. However, fetal neuronal noradrenergic or cholinergic transplants did not restore paradoxical sleep. These results suggest that paradoxical sleep is directly or indirectly mediated through serotoninergic mechanisms.