This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82230014, 81930007, 82270342), the Shanghai Outstanding Academic Leaders Program (18XD1402400), the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (22QA1405400, 201409005200, 20YF1426100), Shanghai Pujiang Talent Program (2020PJD030), SHWSRS(2023-62), Shanghai Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine (19MC1910500), and Postgraduate Innovation Program of Bengbu Medical College (Byycxz21075).

All animal experimental protocols in this study were approved by the Laboratory Animal Welfare Ethics Committee of Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Male C57BL/6J mice, aged between 8 to 10 weeks, were used in the study. The animals were obtained from a commercial source (see Table of Materials). The major parts required for establishing the device are listed in Figure 1A.
1. Preparation of the sleep deprivation device
<ol>
	<li>Secure one end of a 50 cm slotted steel channel at the middle of a 40 cm slotted steel channel with screws (see Table of Materials) to make a T-shaped structure; repeat the process and make two such T-shaped structures (Figure 1B-a).</li>
	<li>Make the two T-shaped structures stand upwards parallelly 30 cm apart, and connect the bottoms of the two T-shaped structures with a 30 cm screw-compatible steel cylinder (see Table of Materials) using screws (Figure 1B-b).</li>
	<li>Place a steel rectangle platform (20 &#215; 25 cm) (see Table of Materials) in between the two T-shaped structures (Figure 1B-c). 
	NOTE: If ready-to-use steel rectangle platforms of the specified size are not available, one can make one by welding 2 mm thick flat steels.</li>
	<li>Secure each end of a 30 cm screw-compatible steel cylinder attached in the platform to two bearings fixed on each of the T-shaped structures at 10 cm down from the top (Figure 1B-d).</li>
	<li>Secure a motor mount (see Table of Materials) on one of the T-shaped structures at 25 cm down from the top using screws (Figure 1B-e). 
	NOTE: Alternatively, construction adhesive can be used to secure the motor mount on the T-shaped structure instead of crews.</li>
	<li>Install a motor (see Table of Materials) on the motor mount with screws (Figure 1B-f).</li>
	<li>Secure a cooling fan (see Table of Materials) with self-locking bands on the T-shaped structure below the motor (Figure 1B-g).</li>
	<li>Fix the bearing end of a connecting rod to a platform corner facing the motor using screws (Figure 1B-h).</li>
	<li>Fix another end of the connecting rod to the shaft of the motor using screws (Figure 1B-i).</li>
	<li>Drill two 4 mm holes at each of the four corners of a plastic container or standard animal cage (see Table of Materials) using an electric drill, and drill two 4 mm holes and a lower 6 mm hole on the left side of the cage (Figure 1B-j).</li>
	<li>Secure the cage on the rectangle platform with self-locking bands through the corner holes (Figure 1B-k).</li>
	<li>Drill a 5 mm hole in the cap of a 50 mL centrifuge tube with an electric drill, and plug in the hole with a long nozzle equipped with a ball valve to prevent water leakage. 
	NOTE: Hydrogel would be an alternative option for water supply if customizing water bottles is difficult.</li>
	<li>Secure the customized water bottle on the left side of the cage using self-locking bands through the two 4 mm holes, with the nozzle going through the 6 mm hole (Figure 1B-l).</li>
	<li>Connect the output electrical wires of the power brick adapter to the two terminals of the motor (Figure 1B-l). 
	NOTE: There is no specific polarity requirement for connecting the wires to the motor terminals.</li>
	<li>Connect the input electrical wires of the power brick adapter to the time contactor (Figure 1B-m).</li>
</ol>
2. Induction of sleep deprivation
<ol>
	<li>Press the rightmost plus sign buttons on the left and right halves of the time contactor (see Table of Materials), respectively, until &#34;M&#34; appears on the mechanical counters on both sides (Figure 1C-a).</li>
	<li>Press the middle plus sign buttons on the left and right halves of the time contactor until &#34;5M&#34; appears on the mechanical counters on both sides (Figure 1C-b).</li>
	<li>Press the leftmost plus sign button on the left half of the time contactor until &#34;15M&#34; appears on the left mechanical counter (Figure 1C-c). 
	&#8203;NOTE: The time contactor will then be on for 15 min and off for 5 min in a cyclic mode.</li>
	<li>Put mice in the cage with water and food ad libitum.</li>
	<li>Supply the time contactor and the cooling fan with power. 
	NOTE: The platform will now be rocking at 10 rpm.</li>
	<li>Weigh each mouse at Zeitgeber time 0 (ZT0) every day. 
	&#8203;NOTE: The light is on from 8 AM (ZT0) to 8 PM (ZT12).</li>
</ol>
3. Oral glucose tolerance test
<ol>
	<li>Measure the fasting glucose levels in fasted mice by sampling blood from tail veins.</li>
	<li>Inject glucose solution into each mouse (2 g/kg body weight) intraperitoneally using 1 mL syringes.</li>
	<li>Collect blood samples through the tail vein, and test the blood glucose at 15 min, 30 min, 60 min, and 120 min after glucose injection, respectively.</li>
	<li>Put the mice back into the cage with the food and water ad libitum after the test.</li>
</ol>
4. Harvesting the brain tissues
<ol>
	<li>Decapitate the mice after adequate anesthesia by exposing them to isoflurane (2%) for 3-5 min.</li>
	<li>Expose the skull and make a 1 cm vertical cut at the skull using surgical scissors.</li>
	<li>Remove the skull using mosquito hemostats (see Table of Materials) to expose the brain tissue.</li>
	<li>Gently move the whole brain out of the cranial cavity using curved tweezers. 
	NOTE: Brain tissue should be removed according to local policies.</li>
	<li>Wash the brain tissue using cold phosphate-buffered saline (1x PBS, 4 &#176;C).</li>
	<li>Snap freeze the intact brain tissue in liquid nitrogen and transfer the tissue to -80 &#176;C for long-term storage . 
	&#8203;NOTE: When stored at -80&#176;C, the flash-frozen brain tissue is stable for at least 6 months.</li>
</ol>
5. Detection of gene expression by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
<ol>
	<li>Thaw the brain tissues at 4 &#176;C or on ice.</li>
	<li>Transfer the tissue to a 1.5 mL microcentrifuge tube, and extract the total RNA using the TRIzol-based method13.</li>
	<li>Measure the concentration of RNA using a spectrophotometer (see Table of Materials) after RNA extraction.</li>
	<li>Perform reverse transcription of the total RNA (1 &#181;g) into complementary DNA (cDNA) using a commercial kit14.</li>
	<li>Measure gene expression levels by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction15.</li>
</ol>

<ol><li>Yang, D. F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Acute+sleep+deprivation+exacerbates+systemic+inflammation+and+psychiatry+disorders+through+gut+microbiota+dysbiosis+and+disruption+of+circadian+rhythms%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Microbiological+Research%22%5BJournal%5D)">Acute sleep deprivation exacerbates systemic inflammation and psychiatry disorders through gut microbiota dysbiosis and disruption of circadian rhythms.</a> Microbiological Research. 268, 127292(2023).</li>
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<li>Barf, R. P., Scheurink, A. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Sleep+disturbances+and+glucose+homeostasis%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22European+Endocrinology%22%5BJournal%5D)">Sleep disturbances and glucose homeostasis.</a> European Endocrinology. 7, 14-18 (2011).</li>
<li>Rio, D. C., Ares, M., Hannon, G. J., Nilsen, T. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Purification+of+RNA+using+TRIzol+%28TRI+reagent%29%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Cold+Spring+Harbor+Protocols%22%5BJournal%5D)">Purification of RNA using TRIzol (TRI reagent).</a> Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. 2010 (6), (2010).</li>
<li>Libus, J., Štorchová, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Quantification+of+cDNA+generated+by+reverse+transcription+of+total+RNA+provides+a+simple+alternative+tool+for+quantitative+RT-PCR+normalization%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Biotechniques%22%5BJournal%5D)">Quantification of cDNA generated by reverse transcription of total RNA provides a simple alternative tool for quantitative RT-PCR normalization.</a> Biotechniques. 41 (2), 156-164 (2006).</li>
<li>Nolan, T., Hands, R. E., Bustin, S. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Quantification+of+mRNA+using+real-time+RT-PCR%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Nature+Protocols%22%5BJournal%5D)">Quantification of mRNA using real-time RT-PCR.</a> Nature Protocols. 1 (3), 1559-1582 (2006).</li>
<li>Mang, G. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Evaluation+of+a+piezoelectric+system+as+an+alternative+to+electroencephalogram%2Felectromyogram+recordings+in+mouse+sleep+studies%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Sleep%22%5BJournal%5D)">Evaluation of a piezoelectric system as an alternative to electroencephalogram/electromyogram recordings in mouse sleep studies.</a> Sleep. 37 (8), 1383-1392 (2014).</li>
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The authors have nothing to disclose.

Mouse models of sleep deprivation are essential for studying the effects of sleep disruption on various diseases, including cardiovascular disease21, psychiatric conditions22, and neurological disorders23. Among the existing sleep deprivation strategies in mice, physical approaches that involve repetitive short-term interruption of sleep are the most commonly used5,7,<sup class="xr...

Circadian rhythm disruption refers to the desynchronization between the external environment or behavior and the endogenous biological clock. One of the most common causes of circadian rhythm disruption is sleep deprivation1. Sleep deprivation not only negatively affects human health but also significantly increases the risk of many diseases, including cancer2 and cardiovascular diseases3. However, the mechanisms underlying the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation remain largely unknown, and establishing sleep deprivation models is essential to enhance our understanding in this regard.
Various methods for sleep deprivation in mice have been reported, such as the use of water platforms4, gentle handling5, sliding bar chambers6, rotating drums7, and cage agitation protocols5,8,9. Sliding bar chambers automatically sweep bars across the bottom of the cage, forcing the mice to walk over them and stay awake. Cage agitation protocols involve placing cages on laboratory orbital shakers, resulting in efficient sleep disruption. While these methods are automatic and effective, they can be expensive when multiple devices are required to run in parallel, especially for specific study designs that involve a large number of sleep-deprived mice needed for circadian gene profiling. On the other hand, water platforms and gentle handling protocols are cheaper and simpler methods commonly used to induce sleep deprivation. However, the water platform does not allow automatic control of prespecified deprivation-rest cycles10,11, and gentle handling requires continuous vigilance from the researchers to disturb sleep. Additionally, other modalities, like rotating drums, can be confounded by social isolation or stress12.
Inspired by the orbital shaker-based method, we aim to introduce a protocol for establishing a rocker platform-based device for sleep deprivation in mice. This method is cheap, effective, minimally stressful, controllable, and automated. The current protocol allows us to create a rocker platform-based device at a cost approximately ten times cheaper than that of orbital shakers, based on our accessibility. This device effectively disrupted sleep in group-housed mice and induced characteristic changes of sleep deprivation with minimal stress response. It will be especially useful for researchers interested in investigating the effects and underlying mechanisms of sleep deprivation on the pathogenesis of multiple diseases, particularly when the study involves multiple-group sleep deprivation in parallel.

<table><tbody><tr><td>1.5 mL microcentrifuge tube</td><td>Axygen</td><td>MCT-150-C-S</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>50 mL centrifuge tube</td><td>NEST</td><td>602002</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Adenosine ELISA kit</td><td>Ruifan technology</td><td>RF8885</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Animal cage</td><td>ZeYa tech</td><td>MJ2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Blood glucose meter</td><td>YuYue</td><td>580</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>C57BL/6J Mice</td><td>JieSiJie Laboratory Animal</td><td>N/A</td><td>Age: 8-10 weeks</td></tr><tr><td>Connecting rod</td><td>ShengXiang Tech</td><td>N/A</td><td>Length:&amp;nbsp; 20 cm</td></tr><tr><td>Cooling fan</td><td>LiMing</td><td>EFB0805VH</td><td>Supply voltage: 5 V; Power consumption: 1.2 W; Air flow: 26.92 cfm; Dimensions: 40 mm * 40 mm * 56 mm</td></tr><tr><td>Corticosterone ELISA kit</td><td>Elabscience</td><td>E-OSEL-M0001</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>EEG/EMG recording and analysis system</td><td>Pinnacle Technology</td><td>8200-K1-iSE3</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Isoflurane</td><td>RWD</td><td>20071302</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>mosquito hemostats</td><td>FST</td><td>13011-12</td><td>Surgical instrument</td></tr><tr><td>Motor and motor mount</td><td>MingYang</td><td>MY36GP-555</td><td>Supply voltage: 24 V dc; Shaft diameter: 8 mm; Maximum output torque: 100 Kgf.cm; Maximum output speed: 10 rpm</td></tr><tr><td>NanoDrop 2000c</td><td>Thermo Scientific</td><td>NanoDrop 2000c</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Power brick adapter</td><td>MingYang</td><td>QiYe-0243</td><td>Input voltage: 110-220V ac; Output voltage: 24 V dc; Outputcurrent: 2 A; Cable length: 2 m</td></tr><tr><td>qPCR commercial kit</td><td>Vazyme</td><td>Q711-02</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>qPCR measurement equipment</td><td>Roche</td><td>480</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Rectangle platform attached with a screw-compatible steel cylinder</td><td>Customized</td><td>N/A</td><td>Width: 20 cm; length: 25 cm; length of the cylinder: 30 cm, thickness: 2 mm</td></tr><tr><td>Reverse RNA to cDNA commercial kit</td><td>Vazyme</td><td>R323-01</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Screw and nut</td><td>Guwanji</td><td>N/A</td><td>Inner diameter: 6 mm, 12 mm</td></tr><tr><td>Screw-compatible steel cylinder</td><td>Customized</td><td>N/A</td><td>Length: 300 mm</td></tr><tr><td>Slotted steel channels</td><td>Customized</td><td>N/A</td><td>Length: 400 mm or 500 mm, thickness: 2 mm</td></tr><tr><td>Time contactor</td><td>LiXiang</td><td>DH48S-S</td><td>Supply voltage: 110-220 V ac; Units measured: hours, minutes, seconds; Contact configuration: DPDT</td></tr><tr><td>TRIzol</td><td>Vazyme</td><td>R401-01</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

establishing a device for sleep deprivation in mice

Circadian rhythm disruption refers to the desynchronization between the external environment or behavior and the endogenous molecular clock, which significantly impairs health. Sleep deprivation is one of the most common causes of circadian rhythm disruption. Various modalities (e.g., platforms on the water, gentle handling, sliding bar chambers, rotating drums, orbital shakers, etc.) have been reported for inducing sleep deprivation in mice to investigate its effects on health. The current study introduces an alternative method for sleep deprivation in mice. An automated rocker platform-based device was designed that is cost-effective and efficiently disrupts sleep in group-housed mice at adjustable time intervals. This device induces characteristic changes of sleep deprivation with minimal stress response. Consequently, this method may prove useful for investigators interested in studying the effects and underlying mechanisms of sleep deprivation on the pathogenesis of multiple diseases. Moreover, it offers a cost-effective solution, particularly when multiple sleep deprivation devices are required to run in parallel.

The established device for sleep deprivation in mice is shown in Figure 1D. At day 7 after sleep deprivation commencement, electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) monitoring16 indicated that the device significantly reduced sleep duration and increased wakefulness duration in mice (Figure 2A-D). Meanwhile, the current protocol significantly increased adenosine build-up and mRNA levels of <em...

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Establishing a Device for Sleep Deprivation in Mice

The present protocol outlines a method for setting up a cost-effective rocker platform-based device used for inducing sleep deprivation in mice. This device has proven to be effective in causing disruptions in electroencephalogram (EEG)-evidenced sleep patterns, as well as inducing metabolic and molecular changes associated with sleep deprivation.

Circadian rhythm disruption refers to the desynchronization between the external environment or behavior and the endogenous molecular clock, which ...

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1.4K Views.  The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College. The present protocol outlines a method for setting up a cost-effective rocker platform-based device used for inducing sleep deprivation in mice. This device has proven to be effective in causing disruptions in electroencephalogram (EEG)-evidenced sleep patterns, as well as inducing metabolic and molecular changes associated with sleep deprivation.

Video: Establishing a Device for Sleep Deprivation in Mice

Noninvasive, High-throughput Determination of Sleep Duration in Rodents

Traditionally, sleep is monitored by an electroencephalogram (EEG). EEG studies in rodents require surgical implantation of the electrodes followed by a long recovery period. To perform an EEG recording, the animal is connected to a receiver, creating an unnatural tether to the head-mount. EEG monitoring is time consuming, carries risk to the animal, and is not a completely natural setting for the measurement of sleep. Alternative methods to detect sleep, particularly in a high-throughput fashion, would greatly advance the field of sleep research. Here, we describe a validated method for detecting sleep via activity-based home-cage monitoring. Previous studies have shown that sleep assessed via this method has a high degree of agreement with sleep defined by traditional EEG-based measures. Whereas this method is validated for total sleep time, it is important to note that sleep bout duration should be assessed by an EEG which has better temporal resolution. The EEG can also differentiate rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep, giving more detail about the exact nature of sleep. Nevertheless, activity-based sleep determination can be used to analyze multiple days of undisturbed sleep and to assess sleep as a response to an acute event (like stress). Here, we show the power of this system to detect the response of mice to daily intraperitoneal injections.

We describe a high-throughput method of measuring sleep by means of activity-based home-cage monitoring. This method offers advantages over traditional EEG-based methods. It is well validated for the determination of total sleep duration and can be a powerful tool to monitor sleep in rodent models of human disease.

Traditionally, sleep is monitored by an electroencephalogram (EEG). EEG studies in rodents require surgical implantation of the electrodes followed by a ...

Behavior

Chronic Sleep Deprivation in Mouse Pups by Means of Gentle Handling

Sleep is critical for proper development and neural plasticity. Moreover, abnormal sleep patterns are characteristic of many neurodevelopmental disorders. Studying how chronic sleep restriction during development can affect adult behavior may add to our understanding of the emergence of behavioral symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders. While there are many methods that can be used to restrict sleep in rodents including forced locomotion, constant disruption, presentation of an aversive stimulus, or electric shock, many of these methods are very stressful and cannot be used in neonatal mice. Here, we describe gentle handling, a sleep deprivation technique that can be used chronically throughout development and into adulthood to achieve sleep restriction. Gentle handling involves close observation of the mice throughout the sleep deprivation period and requires the researcher to gently prod the animals whenever they are inactive or display behaviors associated with sleep. Coupled with EEG recordings, gentle handling could be used to selectively disrupt a specific phase of sleep such as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The technique of gentle handling is a powerful tool for the study of the effects of chronic sleep restriction even in neonatal mice that circumvents many of the more stressful procedures used for sleep deprivation.

We describe a sleep deprivation technique known as gentle handling where investigators gently prod mice any time sleep behavior is observed. This method is a powerful tool that allows researchers to study the effects that chronic sleep restriction throughout development can have on future brain physiology and behavior.

Sleep is critical for proper development and neural plasticity. Moreover, abnormal sleep patterns are characteristic of many neurodevelopmental disorders. ...

Parabiosis in Mice: A Detailed Protocol

Parabiosis is a surgical union of two organisms allowing sharing of the blood circulation. Attaching the skin of two animals promotes formation of microvasculature at the site of inflammation. Parabiotic partners share their circulating antigens and thus are free of adverse immune reaction. First described by Paul Bert in 18641, the parabiosis surgery was refined by Bunster and Meyer in 1933 to improve animal survival2. In the current protocol, two mice are surgically joined following a modification of the Bunster and Meyer technique. Animals are connected through the elbow and knee joints followed by attachment of the skin allowing firm support that prevents strain on the sutured skin. Herein, we describe in detail the parabiotic joining of a ubiquitous GFP expressing mouse to a wild type (WT) mouse. Two weeks after the procedure, the pair is separated and GFP positive cells can be detected by flow cytometric analysis in the blood circulation of the WT mouse. The blood chimerism allows one to examine the contribution of the circulating cells from one animal in the other.

Parabiotic joining of two organisms leads to the development of a shared circulatory system. In this protocol, we describe the surgical steps to form a parabiotic connection between a wild-type mouse and a constitutive GFP-expressing mouse.

Parabiosis is a surgical union of two organisms allowing sharing of the blood circulation. Attaching the skin of two animals promotes formation of ...

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention

One desirable endpoint of general anesthesia is the state of unconsciousness, also known as hypnosis. Defining the hypnotic state in animals is less straightforward than it is in human patients. A widely used behavioral surrogate for hypnosis in rodents is the loss of righting reflex (LORR), or the point at which the animal no longer responds to their innate instinct to avoid the vulnerability of dorsal recumbency. We have developed a system to assess LORR in 24 mice simultaneously while carefully controlling for potential confounds, including temperature fluctuations and varying gas flows. These chambers permit reliable assessment of anesthetic sensitivity as measured by latency to return of the righting reflex (RORR) following a fixed anesthetic exposure. Alternatively, using stepwise increases (or decreases) in anesthetic concentration, the chambers also enable determination of a population's sensitivity to induction (or emergence) as measured by EC50 and Hill slope. Finally, the controlled environmental chambers described here can be adapted for a variety of alternative uses, including inhaled delivery of other drugs, toxicology studies, and simultaneous real-time monitoring of vital signs.

Loss of the righting reflex has long served as a standard behavioral surrogate for unconsciousness, also called hypnosis, in laboratory animals. Alterations in volatile anesthetic sensitivity caused by pharmacological interventions can be detected with a carefully controlled high-throughput assessment system, which may be adapted for delivery of any inhaled therapeutic.

One desirable endpoint of general anesthesia is  the state of unconsciousness, also known as hypnosis. Defining the hypnotic state in animals is  less ...

A Chronic Sleep Fragmentation Model using Vibrating Orbital Rotor to Induce Cognitive Deficit and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Young Wild-Type Mice

Sleep disturbance is generally common in populations as a chronic disease or a complained event. Chronic sleep disturbance is proposed to be closely linked to the pathogenesis of diseases, especially neurodegenerative diseases. We recently found that 2 months of sleep fragmentation initiated Alzheimer&#8217;s disease (AD)-like behavioral and pathological changes in young wild-type mice. Herein, we present a standardized protocol to achieve chronic sleep fragmentation (CSF). Briefly, CSF was induced by an orbital rotor vibrating at 110 rpm and operating with a repetitive cycle of 10 s-on, 110 s-off, during light-ON phase (8:00 AM&#8211;8:00 PM) continuously for up to 2 months. Impairments of spatial learning and memory, anxiety-like but not depression-like behavior in mice as consequences of CSF modeling, were evaluated with Morris water maze (MWM), Novel object recognition (NOR), Open field test (OFT) and Forced swimming test (FST). In comparison with other sleep manipulations, this protocol minimizes the handling labors and maximizes the modeling efficiency. It produces stable phenotypes in young wild-type mice and can be potentially generated for a variety of research purposes.

Presented here is a protocol for chronic sleep fragmentation (CSF) model achieved by an electrically controlled orbital rotor, which could induce confirmed cognitive deficit and anxiety-like behavior in young wild-type mice. This model can be applied to explore the pathogenesis of chronic sleep disturbance and related disorders.

Sleep disturbance is generally common in populations as a chronic disease or a complained event. Chronic sleep disturbance is proposed to be closely ...

Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice

Recording of the epidural electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) in small animals, like mice and rats, has been pivotal to study the homeodynamics and circuitry of sleep-wake regulation. In many laboratories, a cable-based sleep recording system is used to monitor the EEG and EMG in freely behaving mice in combination with computer software for automatic scoring of the vigilance states on the basis of power spectrum analysis of EEG data. A description of this system is detailed herein. Steel screws are implanted over the frontal cortical area and the parietal area of 1 hemisphere for monitoring EEG signals. In addition, EMG activity is monitored by the bilateral placement of wires in both neck muscles. Non-rapid eye movement (Non-REM; NREM) sleep is characterized by large, slow brain waves with delta activity below 4 Hz in the EEG, whereas a shift from low-frequency delta activity to a rapid low-voltage EEG in the theta range between 6 and 10 Hz can be observed at the transition from NREM to REM sleep. By contrast, wakefulness is identified by low- to moderate-voltage brain waves in the EEG trace and significant EMG activity.

The recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) in freely behaving mice is a critical step to correlate behavior and physiology with sleep and wakefulness. The experimental protocol described herein provides a cable-based system for acquiring EEG and EMG recordings in mice.

Recording of the epidural electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) in small animals, like mice and rats, has been pivotal to study the ...

Neuroscience

Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice

In recent years, optogenetics has been widely used in many fields of neuroscientific research. In many cases, an opsin, such as channel rhodopsin 2 (ChR2), is expressed by a virus vector in a particular type of neuronal cells in various Cre-driver mice. Activation of these opsins is triggered by application of light pulses which are delivered by laser or LED through optic cables, and the effect of activation is observed with very high time resolution. Experimenters are able to acutely stimulate neurons while monitoring behavior or another physiological outcome in mice. Optogenetics can enable useful strategies to evaluate function of neuronal circuits in the regulation of sleep/wakefulness states in mice. Here we describe a technique for examining the effect of optogenetic manipulation of neurons with a specific chemical identity during electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) monitoring to evaluate the sleep stage of mice. As an example, we describe manipulation of GABAergic neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). Acute optogenetic excitation of these neurons triggers a rapid transition to wakefulness when applied during NREM sleep. Optogenetic manipulation along with EEG/EMG recording can be applied to decipher the neuronal circuits that regulate sleep/wakefulness states.

Here, we describe methods of optogenetic manipulation of particular types of neurons during monitoring of sleep/wakefulness states in mice, presenting our recent work on the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis as an example.

In recent years, optogenetics has been widely used in many fields of neuroscientific research. In many cases, an opsin, such as channel rhodopsin 2 ...

The Sleep Nullifying Apparatus: A Highly Efficient Method of Sleep Depriving Drosophila

Sleep homeostasis, the increase in sleep observed following sleep loss, is one of the defining criteria used to identify sleep throughout the animal kingdom. As a consequence, sleep deprivation and sleep restriction are powerful tools that are commonly used to provide insight into sleep function. Nonetheless, sleep deprivation experiments are inherently problematic in that the deprivation stimulus itself may be the cause of observed changes in physiology and behavior. Accordingly, successful sleep deprivation techniques should keep animals awake and, ideally, result in a robust sleep rebound without also inducing a large number of unintended consequences. Here, we describe a sleep deprivation technique for Drosophila melanogaster. The Sleep Nullifying Apparatus (SNAP) administers a stimulus every 10s to induce negative geotaxis. Although the stimulus is predictable, the SNAP effectively prevents &#62;95% of nighttime sleep even in flies with high sleep drive. Importantly, the subsequent homeostatic response is very similar to that achieved using hand-deprivation. The timing and spacing of the stimuli can be modified to minimize sleep loss and thus examine non-specific effects of the stimulus on physiology and behavior. The SNAP can also be used for sleep restriction and to assess arousal thresholds. The SNAP is a powerful sleep disruption technique that can be used to better understand sleep function.

The Sleep Nullifying Apparatus: A Highly Efficient Method of Sleep Depriving Drosophila

Sleep deprivation is a powerful tool to investigate sleep function and regulation. We describe a protocol to sleep deprive Drosophila using the Sleep Nullifying Apparatus, and to determine the extent of rebound sleep induced by deprivation.

Sleep homeostasis, the increase in sleep observed following sleep loss, is one of the defining criteria used to identify sleep throughout the animal ...

Automated Sleep Stage Scoring Tool for Rodents Using LightGBM

IntelliSleepScorer, a Software Package with a Graphic User Interface for Mice Automated Sleep Stage Scoring

Sleep stage scoring in rodents is the process of identifying the three stages: nonrapid eye movement sleep (NREM), rapid eye movement sleep (REM), and wake. Sleep stage scoring is crucial for studying sleep stage-specific measures and effects. 
Sleep patterns in rodents differ from those in humans, characterized by shorter episodes of NREM and REM interspaced by waking, and traditional manual sleep stage scoring by human experts is time-consuming. To address this issue, previous studies have used machine learning-based approaches to develop algorithms to automatically categorize sleep stages, but high-performing models with great generalizability are often not publicly available/cost-free nor user-friendly for non-trained sleep researchers. 
Therefore, we developed a machine learning-based LightGBM algorithm trained with a large dataset. To make the model available to sleep researchers without coding experience, a software tool named IntelliSleepScorer (v1.2- newest version) was developed based on the model, which features an easy-to-use graphic user interface. In this manuscript, we present step-by-step instructions for using the software to demonstrate a convenient and effective automatic sleep stage scoring tool in mice for sleep researchers.

Author Spotlight: IntelliSleepScorer &#8212; A High-Accuracy, Accessible GUI Software for Automated Sleep Stage Scoring in Mice and its Application in Psychiatric Research

We present a software package with a graphic user interface for researchers without coding experience to score sleep stages in mice with a simple download and operation.

Sleep stage scoring in rodents is the process of identifying the three stages: nonrapid eye movement sleep (NREM), rapid eye movement sleep (REM), and ...

Analyzing Sleep Behavior in Mice through Electroencephalogram and Electromyogram Recordings

Source: Oishi, Y., et&#160; al. <a href="https://app.jove.com/v/53678">Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice.</a> J. Vis. Exp. (2016).
This video demonstrates a protocol for implanting an electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) electrode assembly in an anesthetized mouse. The process involves securing the mouse on a stereotaxic frame, making a midline incision in the skull, drilling holes for the electrodes, and fixing the electrode unit for signal recording. After recovery, the mouse&#39;s sleep-wake behavior is analyzed using the recorded signals.

All procedures involving animal models have been reviewed by the local institutional animal care committee and the JoVE veterinary review board.
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Establishing a Device for Sleep Deprivation in Mice

Summary

Explore More Videos

Noninvasive, High-throughput Determination of Sleep Duration in Rodents

Chronic Sleep Deprivation in Mouse Pups by Means of Gentle Handling

Parabiosis in Mice: A Detailed Protocol

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention

A Chronic Sleep Fragmentation Model using Vibrating Orbital Rotor to Induce Cognitive Deficit and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Young Wild-Type Mice

Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice

Optogenetic Manipulation of Neural Circuits During Monitoring Sleep/wakefulness States in Mice

The Sleep Nullifying Apparatus: A Highly Efficient Method of Sleep Depriving Drosophila

IntelliSleepScorer, a Software Package with a Graphic User Interface for Mice Automated Sleep Stage Scoring

Analyzing Sleep Behavior in Mice through Electroencephalogram and Electromyogram Recordings