Effects of dihydroergotoxine methane sulphonate (Redergine) on sleep in cats deprived of paradoxical sleep.

ABSTRACT

Dihydroergotoxine methane sulphonate (DHET 1.0 mg/kg i.p.) was administered to cats deprived of paradoxical sleep (PS) for 72 h and 23 h of recovery sleep were recorded. During the first 12 h of recovery sleep slow-wave sleep (SWS) was significantly increased. There were no significant changes in the amounts of wakefulness (W), PS and several sleep indices. Analysis of the entire 23 h of recording period revealed no significant changes in any of the parameters studied. The results suggest that DHET has SWS enhancing property in the condition where "pressure" for PS was increased.