Neonatal RSD

REM) sleep deprivation (RSD) and the potential that there are different effects depending on when an intervention is applied. Most studies of neonatal RSD are conducted between PN 8 and PN 21 and thus span a time when there are changes in the normal ontogeny of sleep. 

Drug administration is a common method to study neonatal RSD. Both subcutaneous injection and oral administration are applicable. The consequence of neonatal RSD by drug depends on the dose and the way that the drug was administered, such as the treatment duration (38,49). In contrast to an adult response, RSD in the rat at age 2 weeks or younger does not produce a REM rebound to REM suppression (50). Therefore, a dose-response relationship between drug and REM suppression is not as easy to differentiate as in adult models. For uniformity, an injection of a full dose once a day may not produce the same result as an injection of this dose split into a twice-daily dose (51). One to two weeks of total treatment duration with appropriate doses has been proven to be effective in producing long-term developmental abnormalities (38). 

The decrease of REM sleep without a corresponding increase of wakefulness might be one of the most important features in the short-term effects of neonatal RSD. This fact indicates the immature wake generator or a low waking capacity in the neonatal period. A similar observation was first reported by Mirmiran et al. (61) and described as an increase of NREM (quiet) sleep during neonatal RSD by CLI, without emphasizing its importance. 

A. Neonatal RSD Results in a Large Decrease of REM Sleep and a Small Increase of Wakefulness... 

In summary, neonatal RSD produces adult depression-like changes and behavioral changes beyond depression. In general, neonatal RSD slows the overall development of brain and behavior. At the cellular and molecular levels, neonatal RSD yields the immature features of a low-waking capacity and less voluntary movements. 

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