Physiology and pathophysiology of sleep
Steiger, A.
Schweizerische Medizinische Wochenschrift 125(48): 2338-2345
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-7672 PMID: 8539582 Document Number: 442808
Human sleep is characterized by the cyclic occurrence of nonREM and REM periods and by distinct patterns of nocturnal hormone secretion. A host of factors may result in disturbed sleep, including normal aging and depression. In both states, similar changes in sleep-endocrine activity occur, including decreases in slow wave sleep and in growth hormone secretion. Preclinical investigations and studies by our laboratory in young and elderly normal controls and in patients with depression demonstrate that neuropeptides play a key role in sleep regulation. As an example, growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) is a common stimulus of slow wave sleep and growth hormone release, whereas corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) exerts opposite effects. We suggest that an imbalance of both peptides in favor of CRH contributes to changes in sleep-endocrine activity during depression and aging.