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

Acetylcholine: Possible Involvement in Sleep and Analgesia

“…In this regard, it is well to remember that several other drugs have been reported to induce or increase REM sleep: 5-hydroxytryptophan (Wyatt, 1972), reserpine (Hartmann and Cravens, 1973), LSD (Torda, 1968), the alpha-adrenergic receptor blockers phenoxybenzamine (Hartmann and Zwilling, 1976) and thymoxamine (Oswald et al, 1975), alpha-methylpara-tyrosine (Wyatt, 1972), and nicotinamide (Robinson et al, 1977). The ultimate goal, therefore, is understanding the integration of diverse neuronal systems, cholinergic as well as others, in the regulation of behavior and the states of consciousness.…”

Role of central alpha-1 adrenoceptors in canine narcolepsy.

“…Alpha-I adrenergic agents have no overt central effects in waking animals (26,32,33) and humans (34), and reports conffict over their effects on REM sleep (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)30). Our data demonstrate a crucial role of these receptors in canine narcolepsy, which is considered an animal model of human narcolepsy.…”

“…Reports of changes in REM sleep in animals (12)(13)(14)(15) and humans (16) after treatment with alpha-1 adrenergic agents (increase with blockade and decrease with stimulation) provided further rationale for our hypothesis. The role of central alpha-1 mechanisms in narcolepsy was examined by in vivo pharmacology in narcoleptic Doberman pinschers, an autosomal recessive animal model of human narcolepsy (8,(17)(18)(19).…”