Sino-aortic denervation augments the increase in blood pressure seen during paradoxical sleep in the rat

Using a computer assisted telemetric system, we have re-examined the effect of sinoaortic denervation (SAD) on the changes in arterial blood pressure (AP) and heart rate (HR) during sleep in the rat suitably recovered from the operation. Eight 1 hourly polygraphic recordings were performed 4 weeks after the initial SAD surgery. In the SAD rats, the increase in AP during paradoxical sleep (PS) was much larger than that in sham-operated rats. HR in the SAD rats increased on-going from slow-wave sleep to PS, but it showed no change in sham-operated rats. The present study suggests that chronic SAD causes the enhanced AP increase during PS concomitantly with the persistent hypertension and tachycardia across sleep-wake states.