Prolonged sleep deprivation decreases cell proliferation and immature newborn neurons in both dorsal and ventral hippocampus of male rats

Previous studies have indicated that sleep deprivation negatively affects hippocampal neurogenesis, which may explain the reason for the relation between sleep loss and depression. Increasing evidence indicates that the hippocampus is anatomically and functionally segregated along a dorsolateral (cognitive function)/ventromedial (control for mood and stress response) axis. Thus, the present study was conducted to elucidate regional differences in the adverse effects of sleep deprivation on hippocampal neurogenesis. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to sleep deprivation using the "platform on the water" method for 24- or 72-h. Quantification of hippocampal cell proliferation and immature newborn neurons was stereologically estimated using immunostaining with Ki-67 and doublecortin (DCX), respectively, by optical fractionator method. A consecutive three days of sleep deprivation significantly reduced the density of Ki-67- and DCX-immunopositive cells both in the dorsal and ventral hippocampal subgranular zone and the decrease in DCX-labeled cells was more pronounced in the ventral hippocampus than in dorsal region. Our results indicate that prolonged sleep deprivation decreases hippocampal cell proliferation and neurogenesis in both the dorsal and ventral dentate gyrus. Future studies will be needed to clarify the impact of sleep deprivation-induced decreases in hippocampal neurogenesis on the development of depression.