Validation of the cuff pedestal technique for rapid eye movement sleep (REMs) deprivation by electrophysiological recordings

Abstract

Twenty-four-hour recordings of electrophysiological correlates of the sleep-waking cycle in the rat were performed during different stages of cuff pedestal treatment. It was found that rats adapted to live on pedestals with the cuff raised displayed undisturbed patterns of sleep and wakefulness. Lowering the cuff for three days resulted in virtually total disappearance of rapid eye movement sleep (REMs), while slow wave sleep (SWs) was only slightly reduced. Raising the cuff induced a prominent rebound increase of REMs. These results accord with data obtained by means of the conventional flowerpot procedure and corroborate the validity of the cuff pedestal technique.