Caffeine and sleep-deprivation mediated changes in open-field behaviours, stress response and antioxidant status in mice

Abstract

ObjectivesEffects of daily caffeine consumption on open-field behaviours, serum corticosterone and brain antioxidant levels were investigated after six hours of total sleep-deprivation in prepubertal mice. We tested the hypothesis that daily caffeine consumption may significantly alter behaviour, stress and antioxidative response of prepubertal mice to an acute episode of total sleep-deprivation.MethodsPrepubertal Swiss mice of both sexes were assigned to two main groups of 120 each (subdivided into 6 groups of 10 each, based on sex), and administered vehicle or graded oral doses of caffeine (10, 20, 40, 80 and 120 mg/kg/day) for 14 days. On day 14, a main group was subjected to 6 h of total sleep-deprivation by ‘gentle-handling’. Open-field behaviours were then assessed in both groups, after which animals were euthanized, and levels of corticosterone, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase assayed.ResultsHorizontal locomotion, rearing and grooming increased significantly, compared to control, with sleep-deprived (SD) mice showing stronger caffeine-driven responses at higher doses; and SD female mice showing sustained response to caffeine, compared to respective males. Plasma corticosterone increased with increasing doses of caffeine in both non sleep-deprived (NSD) and SD mice; although SD mice had higher corticosterone levels. Sleep-deprivation and/or higher doses of caffeine were associated with derangements in brain antioxidant levels.ConclusionRepeated caffeine consumption and/or acute sleep-deprivation led to significant changes in pattern of open-field behaviour and stress/antioxidant response in mice. Responses seen in the study are probably due to modulatory effects of caffeine on the total body response to stressful stimuli.

The Effects of Caffeine Intake on Cardiovascular Parameters in Sleep Deprived Medical Residents

“…According to a study on mice, stress response after sleep deprivation is influenced by caffeine intake [19]. Our study also shows a direct link between caffeine units intake during sleep loss and cardiovascular response.…”

Depressant effect of geraniol on the central nervous system of rats: Behavior and ECoG power spectra

“…To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study report the depressant effect of geraniol on the central nervous system of rats. We have chosen the open field test to evaluated if geraniol affected the exploratory activity of the animals, the hole-board because it is an efficient test to measure anxiety state in rodents and we have wanted to know if geraniol is an anxiolytic drug in smaller doses [22] , [23] , [24] , [25] . After this, we did the barbiturate-induced sleeping time test because geraniol showed some signs of depression on CNS and this is a specific test to evaluate depressant drugs [26] , [27] .…”

Sleep deprivation and stress: a reciprocal relationship

“…Despite having been initially designed to minimize the spurious consequences of stress on sleep, the effects of GH on the HPA axis activity is more controversial than the consensually recognized stressful effects of sleep-deprivation protocols based on forced locomotion. The exposure to external stimuli between 2 and 24 h has been shown to induce an increase in corticosterone levels in male mice [100][101][102][103][104][105] and rats [106][107][108][109][110], as well as for very short periods of time in neonatal rats [110]. However, this increase was usually mild and within the range of normal amplitude observed during the undisturbed period.…”