Acute Sleep Deprivation Decreases Anxiety Behavior via γ-Aminobutyric Acid-A Receptor Activation in Central Nucleus of Amygdala

Amygdala contains central nucleus which is the region rich of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA-A) receptors and plays a key role in modulating behavior and sleep homeostasis. Furthermore, dysfunction of amygdala probably contributes to anxiety and mood disorders. In this study, we evaluated the association between acute sleep deprivation (ASD) and anxiety through GABA-A receptor in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA).
A total of 35 male rats were bilaterally cannulated in CeA, randomly divided into four groups (n = 7); control (CON), ASD, bicuculline (BIC) (as a GABA-A receptor blocker), BIC ASD. Saline was in-jected intra-CeA for the first three groups and others received intra-CeA BIC (0.1 nmol/0.5 μl in volume of 0.5 μl same at each side).
Intra-CeA injection of BIC increased the level of anxiety compared to control group. Induction of 24 hours ASD immediately after BIC injection, led to decrease in the anxiety level when compared to BIC group, and we found no statistically difference between control and ASD groups.
Intra-CeA injection of BIC increased anxiety level while induction of ASD decreased BIC-induced anxiety.