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Acute sleep deprivation immediately increases serum GDNF, BDNF and VEGF levels in healthy subjects

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Abstract

Acute sleep deprivation upregulates hippocampal neurogenesis. Neurotrophic factors such as glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are mediators of neuronal plasticity and neurogenesis. These neurotrophins are involved in sleep and sleep disorders and are associated with sleep deprivation. In this study, it is aimed to investigate the changes of neurotrophin levels with total sleep deprivation in healthy individuals. Seventeen healthy young adults with a mean age of 19.8 (SD = 1.0) years underwent an experimental protocol consisting of 36 h of total sleep deprivation. Venous blood samples were obtained on Day1 at 09.00, on Day2 at 09.00, and at 21.00. Serum levels of neurotrophins were detected using the ELISA method. The participants were asked to mark the scores corresponding to their subjective energy, happiness, depression, tension levels on the visual analog scale; and sleepiness level on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale; during the course of the study. As a result of 36 h of sleep deprivation, serum GDNF, BDNF, and VEGF levels showed a statistically significant increase compared to the baseline values in the participants included in the study (P < 0.0001). While this increase was evident in 24 h, it continued after 36 h. In parallel, sleepiness levels, subjective depression, and tension levels increased, on the other hand, subjective energy and happiness scores decreased at a statistically significant level at the end of the study compared to basal values (P < 0.0001). The results show that acute sleep deprivation significantly affects and increases serum levels of neurotrophic factors, and it seems that these effects are likely to occur as an immediate response to the stress and disruption caused by sleep deprivation.

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Funding

This work was supported by a research grant from Trakya University Scientific Research Project Committee (Grant number: TUTF-BAEK 2015/44). The Trakya University Scientific Research Project Committee provided financial support for the conduct of the research. This committee evaluates the researches and provides financial support for the ones that they see relevant for the scientific improvement of the university. This work was not an industry-supported study. Each author declares that they have no financial conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Balkan Campus, 22030, Edirne, Turkey

    Yasemin Gorgulu, Okan Caliyurt, Rugul Kose Cinar & Mehmet Bulent Sonmez

Authors
  1. Yasemin Gorgulu
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  2. Okan Caliyurt
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  3. Rugul Kose Cinar
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  4. Mehmet Bulent Sonmez
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study's conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by YG, OC, RKC and MBS. The first draft of the manuscript was written by YG and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Conceptualization: YG, OC, RKC and MBS; Methodology: YG, OC, RKC; Formal analysis and investigation: YG, OC, RKC and MBS; Writing—original draft preparation: YG, OC; Writing—review and editing: YG, OC, RKC and MBS.

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Correspondence to Yasemin Gorgulu.

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The protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University. All volunteers gave their written informed consent. Each author declares that they have no financial conflict of interest.

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Gorgulu, Y., Caliyurt, O., Kose Cinar, R. et al. Acute sleep deprivation immediately increases serum GDNF, BDNF and VEGF levels in healthy subjects. Sleep Biol. Rhythms 20, 73–79 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41105-021-00341-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41105-021-00341-w

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