Effect of interleukin-1b on eeg power density during sleep depends on circadian phase.. Lancel, Marike, Stefan Mathias, Johannes Faulhaber, and Thomas Schiffelholz. Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Dept. of Neuroendocrinology, Clinical Institute, D-80804 Munich
APStracts 2:0317R, 1995.
The cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a key mediator of the somnogenic response to immune challenge. In this vehicle-controlled study we evaluated circadian interference with the sleep promoting effects of IL-1b. In two randomized experiments, rats were injected intracerebroventricularly with 5 ng IL-1b either at the beginning of the rest phase or at the beginning of the activity phase. Recordings were made during 24 hours preceding the injections (baseline) and during the first 12 post injection hours. To avoid masking effects of light, the rats were maintained under a skeleton photoperiod during recording. During both the rest and activity phase, IL-1b induced fever and initially promoted nonREMS and suppressed REMS. The effect of IL-1b on the duration of nonREMS and EEG power densities within nonREMS was related to circadian phase. During the rest phase, IL-1b resulted in a minor increase in nonREMS-duration but a prominent enhancement in EEG activity in the delta (0.5-4 Hz), and most other frequency bands. During the activity phase, IL-1b evoked a larger increase in the duration of nonREMS, but hardly affected EEG activity within this state. Thus, the effects of IL-1b on nonREMS are strongly influenced by diurnal phase. The alterations in EEG power density are in contrast to those elicited by sleep deprivation, which are largely independent of time of day. It is concluded that IL-1b activates EEG regulatory mechanisms mediated by processes which depend on circadian phase.

Received 7 August 1995; accepted in final form 7 November 1995.
APS Manuscript Number R499-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Regulatory Integrative
Comp. Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 30 November 95