Regional metabolic activity in the rat brain during sleep-wake activity.

[14C]2-Deoxyglucose autoradiography was used to demonstrate regional metabolic activity in the rat brain during wake, slow-wave sleep (SWS), and REM sleep. Data are expressed as values of relative metabolic activity (RMA, regional optic density/mean brain optic density), which show the level of metabolic activity in a region, relative to the mean level of the brain. Regions exhibiting obviously decreased RMA during SWS include the cerebellum, cortical layer IV, and most of the thalamus, including the massa intermedia and lateral geniculate nuclei. Low levels of RMA in sensory relay regions during SWS reflect functional deafference of the brain. In contrast, some limbic regions, including the hypothalamic core and hippocampal dentate fascia, exhibit increased RMA during SWS. Regions exhibiting increased RMA may have functions which are carried on at high levels during sleep. The metabolic appearance of the brain in REM is very different from that in SWS. The reticular core, substantia nigra, hippocampal dentate fascia, and stratum moleculare, and many regions associated with the extrapyramidal motor system, exhibit increased RMA. The cerebellum and ventral thalamic nucleus show decreased RMA, while the lateral thalamic nuclei and cortical layer IV show no metabolic state dependency. In sum, SWS is associated with a general decrease in RMA of sensory and motor areas, and with increased RMA in some limbic regions. RMA is similar in cerebellar and hippocampal regions during REM and SWS. In contrast, RMA in many sensory relay regions does not decrease during REM, and there is REM-specific increase of RMA in some pontomesencephalic regions associated with motor function.