Growth hormone effects on sleep and wakefulness in the rat.

The sleep-wakefulness pattern and brain protein levels were determined in rats for 3 h following these conditions: administration of an inhibitor of protein synthesis (anisomycin), administration of several doses of rat growth hormone (GH) or thyrotropin, and administration of a combination of anisomycin + GH or thyrotropin. Anisomycin inhibited sleep and increased wakefulness, GH increased REM sleep, and thyrotropin produced no change. The combined administration of GH and anisomycin returned sleep to control levels. Anisomycin produced a time-dependent decrease in brain protein levels, GH produced changes in brain protein levels as compared to controls in the second hour only, and thyrotropin had no effect upon brain protein levels. The results are discussed in terms of the possible relationship between sleep and proteins.