Twenty-four canine GH (cGH) and cortisol secretion patterns associated with sleep stages were studied in 10 male adult dogs. Plasma samples were obtained at 30- or 15-min intervals via an indwelling catheter. Under baseline conditions, all dogs showed irregular polyphasic sleep, and the episodic cGH secretion had no apparent relationship with sleep or the light-dark cycle. Five dogs were subjected to regular sleep-wake cycles; 3, 6, and 12 h of forced wakefulness (FW) were repeated at 3-, 6-, and 12-h intervals (recovery sleep periods), respectively. Peak cGH secretion (mean +/- SD, 6.4 ng/ml +/- 2.4) occurred soon after recovery sleep onset in 25 of 40 total recovery periods. The incidence of sleep-onset cGH peaks and cGH secretion during the first hour of recovery sleep significantly increased with the length of the preceding FW, but were not affected by the time of day. Delta wave sleep increased during this hour, suggesting a possible correlation with the sleep-onset cGH peak. During the first 3 h of recovery after 6 and 12 h of FW, cGH secretion was significantly enhanced, but cortisol was not. Considering the characteristics of human sleep-related GH secretion, we suggest that this peak cGH secretion represents a model of human GH secretion. Possibly, a close association of cGH secretion with sleep is concealed under the baseline condition and uncovered by inducing longer sleep-wake cycles in dogs. No circadian cortisol variation was detected under the baseline or the experimental conditions.

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