rapid eye movement sleep deprivation induces acetylcholinesterase a ctivity in the preoptic area of the rat brain

acetylcholinesterase (ache) is a large glycoprotein that, aside from its known cholinolytic activity, co-exists with other transmitter systems and possesses other functions. in the present study, the effects of short-term rapid-eye-movement sleep deprivation (rem-sd) on ache activity in the anterior hypothalamic area have been investigated. using the flower-pot method, adult male albino rats were deprived of rem sleep for a period of72, 96, and 120 h and perfused brains were then sectioned with a vibratome and stained histochemically for ache. in comparison to control animals, marked positive ache activity was observed in neurons located in the preoptic area in the 120sd group only. results of this study have shown that ache could be involved in some unknown functions related to rem sleep physiology