Serotoninergic mechanisms and sleep rebound.

The administration of p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA), an inhibitor of serotonin (5-HT) biosynthesis, at the end of a 48 h sleep deprivation does not impair the subsequent rebound of deep slow wave sleep (SWS2) and paradoxical sleep (PS). On the contrary, the administration of PCPA during a 48 h sleep deprivation is followed by a great decrease of light slow wave sleep (SWS1) and by total disappearance of SWS2 while some rebound of PS still occurs in narcoleptic-like attacks. These experiments provide evidence that sleep inducing materials are accumulated during sleep deprivation. Serotoninergic processes appear to be involved in the regulatory mechanisms of the biosynthesis and the accumulation of SWS2 and PS factors.