The role of the basal forebrain adenosine receptors in sleep homeostasis.

Multiple studies indicate that adenosine released in the basal forebrain during prolonged wakefulness could affect recovery sleep. It is still unclear which of adenosine receptors provide its sleep-modulating effects in the basal forebrain. We infused adenosine A1 and A2A receptors antagonists into the rat basal forebrain during sleep deprivation and compared characteristics of recovery non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep (its amount and non-REM sleep delta power) after sleep deprivation, and after sleep deprivation combined with perfusion of antagonists. A1 receptor antagonist significantly reduced recovery sleep amount and delta power, whereas A2A receptor antagonist had no effect on recovery sleep. We conclude that adenosine can promote recovery non-REM sleep when acting through A1 receptors in the basal forebrain.