Sleep deprivation disrupts striatal anti-apoptotic responses in 6-hydroxy dopamine-lesioned parkinsonian rats

OBJECTIVE(S): The present study was conducted to examine the effect of sleep deprivation (SD) on the anti-apoptotic pathways in Parkinsonian rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats (n = 40) were assigned to four groups (10 animals each): sham surgery (Sham), 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned (OH), 6-OHDA-lesioned plus grid control (OH+GC), 6-OHDA-lesioned plus SD (OH+SD). Parkinson’s disease (PD) model was induced by the unilateral intra-striatal infusion of 6-OHDA (10 µg/rat). SD (4 hr/day, for 14 days) was induced using a multiple platforms water tank. On the last day of interventions, animals were subjected to open field test for horizontal motor performance assessment. Also, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), Bcl-2 and Bax were assessed in the striatum of study groups. RESULTS: SD obscured the motor deficits of PD animals observed in open field test. BDNF level and Bcl2/Bax ratio significantly increased in the OH group, and SD reduced their levels in the PD animals. CONCLUSION: SD suppressed the anti-apoptotic compensatory responses in the striatum; therefore, it may accelerate continual neuronal cell death in PD.