Role of sleep in the regulation of the immune system and the pituitary hormones

Sleep is characterized by a reduced response to external stimuli and a particular form of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity. Sleep is divided into two stages: REM sleep, characterized by muscle atonia, rapid eye movements, and EEG activity similar to wakefulness, and non‐REM sleep, characterize...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2012-07, Vol.1261 (1), p.97-106
Main Authors: Gómez-González, Beatriz, Domínguez-Salazar, Emilio, Hurtado-Alvarado, Gabriela, Esqueda-Leon, Enrique, Santana-Miranda, Rafael, Rojas-Zamorano, Jose Angel, Velázquez-Moctezuma, Javier
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
autoimmune diseases
Autoimmune Diseases - physiopathology
Control
Cytokines
Cytokines - immunology
Cytokines - metabolism
Electroencephalography
Eye Movements - physiology
Hormones
Humans
Hypophysectomy - adverse effects
Immune system
Immune System - physiology
Immune systems
Pituitary gland
Pituitary hormones
Pituitary Hormones - immunology
Pituitary Hormones - metabolism
Rats
Sleep
Sleep - physiology
sleep function
sleep loss
Sleep Wake Disorders - physiopathology
Sleep, REM - physiology
Wakefulness
Wakefulness - physiology
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Summary:Sleep is characterized by a reduced response to external stimuli and a particular form of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity. Sleep is divided into two stages: REM sleep, characterized by muscle atonia, rapid eye movements, and EEG activity similar to wakefulness, and non‐REM sleep, characterized by slow EEG activity. Around 80% of total sleep time is non‐REM. Although it has been intensely studied for decades, the function (or functions) of sleep remains elusive. Sleep is a highly regulated state; some brain regions and several hormones and cytokines participate in sleep regulation. This mini‐review focuses on how pituitary hormones and cytokines regulate or affect sleep and how sleep modifies the plasma concentration of hormones as well as cytokines. Also, we review the effects of hypophysectomy and some autoimmune diseases on sleep pattern. Finally, we propose that one of the functions of sleep is to maintain the integrity of the neuro–immune–endocrine system.
ISSN:0077-8923
1749-6632
DOI:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06616.x