The effect of alpha and beta adrenergic receptor blockers on sleep in the rat.

We investigated the effects of the beta adrenergic blocker, propranolol, and the alpha adrenergic blocker, phenoxybenzamine, on sleep patterns in the rat by means of multiple 8-hr and 24-hr polygraphic recordings. Propranolol had no clear effect on time spent in waking, synchronized sleep or desynchronized sleep. Phenoxybenzamine at a dose of 40 mg/kg produced a significant increase in desynchronized sleep time and in the number of desynchronized sleep periods. This is consistent with the view that there may be a mechanism inhibiting the onset of desynchronized sleep periods which involves norepinephrine acting at alpha adrenergic receptors in the brain.