EFFECTS OF SLOW WAVE SLEEP DEPRIVATION ON HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE RELEASE IN SLEEP - PRELIMINARY STUDY

Release of human growth hormone (HGH) has been shown to occur during normal undisturbed sleep.1,2,3 We have also demonstrated in our laboratory that this release is related to the physiologic state of sleep itself and is not dependent of an inherent circadian rhythm.4 Finally, we have demonstrated that release of HGH is correlated with that portion of sleep cycles showing slow, synchronized electroencephalographic activity.4 We now report results of an attempt to deprive subjects of EEG stages 3 and 4,5 referred to as slow wave sleep (SWS), to test the effect of this deprivation on release of HGH in sleep. The data suggest that deprivation of SWS results in diminished and delayed secretion of HGH in sleep. © 1969.