Effects of rapid eye movement sleep deprivation on regional brain metabolism as measured by 2-[14C]deoxyglucose autoradiography

Regional brain metabolic activity of six male Sprague-Dawley rats was investigated with 2-[14C]deoxyglucose autoradiography. Regional brain metabolic activity was determined bilaterally for 60 brain structures, using laser densitometry. After 5 days of uninterrupted rapid eye movement sleep deprivation, increased metabolic activity was found in the lateral habenula, the caudal and middle parts of the limbic system, and in the corpus callosum.