Department of Zoology, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, East Champaran, Bihar, 845401, India.
Math, Science, Engineering Department, South Mountain Community College, 7050 S 24th St, Phoenix, AZ, 85042, USA.
Sleep Med. 2023 Oct;110:25-34. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2023.07.022. Epub 2023 Jul 26.
Rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) is essential for leading normal healthy living at least in higher-order mammals, including humans. In this review, we briefly survey the available literature for evidence linking cytomorphometric changes in the brain due to loss of REMS. As a mechanism of action, we add evidence that REMS loss elevates noradrenaline (NA) levels in the brain, which affects neuronal cytomorphology. These changes may be a compensatory mechanism as the changes return to normal after the subjects recover from the loss of REMS or if during REMS deprivation, the subjects are treated with NA-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin (PRZ). We had proposed earlier that one of the fundamental functions of REMS is to maintain the level of NA in the brain. We elaborate on this idea to propose that if REMS loss continues without recovery, the sustained level of NA breaks down neurophysiologically active compensatory mechanism/s starting with changes in the neuronal cytomorphology, followed by their degeneration, leading to acute and chronic pathological conditions. Identification of neuronal cytomorphological changes could prove to be of significance for predicting future neuronal (brain) damage as well as an indicator for REMS health. Although current brain imaging techniques may not enable us to visualize changes in neuronal cytomorphology, given the rapid technological progress including use of artificial intelligence, we are optimistic that it may be a reality soon. Finally, we propose that maintenance of optimum REMS must be considered a criterion for leading a healthy life.
快速眼动睡眠（REMS）对于包括人类在内的高等哺乳动物的正常健康生活至关重要。在这篇综述中，我们简要地回顾了现有文献，以寻找与 REMS 缺失导致大脑细胞形态变化有关的证据。作为一种作用机制，我们增加了证据表明，REMS 缺失会导致大脑中去甲肾上腺素（NA）水平升高，从而影响神经元的细胞形态。这些变化可能是一种代偿机制，因为在受试者从 REMS 缺失中恢复后，或者在 REMS 剥夺期间用去甲肾上腺素能受体拮抗剂普萘洛尔（PRZ）治疗时，这些变化会恢复正常。我们之前曾提出，REMS 的一个基本功能之一是维持大脑中的 NA 水平。我们详细阐述了这个想法，提出如果 REMS 缺失持续而没有恢复，持续的 NA 水平会破坏神经生理上活跃的代偿机制/开始于神经元细胞形态的变化，随后是它们的退化，导致急性和慢性病理状况。鉴定神经元细胞形态变化可能被证明对预测未来的神经元（大脑）损伤以及 REMS 健康状况具有重要意义。尽管目前的脑成像技术可能无法使我们可视化神经元细胞形态的变化，但考虑到包括人工智能在内的快速技术进步，我们乐观地认为这可能很快成为现实。最后，我们提出维持最佳 REMS 必须被视为健康生活的标准。
