Modafinil restores memory performance and neural activity impaired by sleep deprivation in mice.

Christophe Piérard (1) , Pierrette Liscia (1) , Jean-Nicolas Philippin (2) , Nicole Mons (2) , Thierry Lafon (2) , Frédéric Chauveau (1) , Pascal van Beers (1) , Isabelle Drouet (1, 3) , André Serra (1) , Jean-Claude Jouanin (1) , Daniel Béracochéa (2)

1 IMASSA - Institut de Médecine Aérospatiale du Service de Santé des Armées
2 NC - Neurosciences cognitives
3 IHPST - Institut d'Histoire et de Philosophie des Sciences et des Techniques

The original aims of our study have been to investigate in sleep-deprived mice, the effects of modafinil administration on spatial working memory, in parallel with the evaluation of neural activity level, as compared to non-sleep-deprived animals. For this purpose, an original sleep deprivation apparatus was developed and validated with continuous electroencephalography recording. Memory performance was evaluated using spontaneous alternation in a T-maze, whereas the neural activity level was estimated by the quantification of the c-Fos protein in various cerebral zones. This study allowed altogether: First, to evidence that a diurnal 10-h sleep deprivation period induced an impairment of spatial working memory. Second, to observe a decrease in c-Fos expression after sleep deprivation followed by a behavioural test, as compared to non-sleep-deprived mice. This impairment in neural activity was evidenced in areas involved in wake-sleep cycle regulation (anterior hypothalamus and supraoptic nucleus), but also in memory (frontal cortex and hippocampus) and emotions (amygdala). Finally, to demonstrate that modafinil 64 mg/kg is able to restore on the one hand memory performance after a 10-h sleep deprivation period, and on the other hand, the neural activity level in the very same brain areas where it was previously impaired by sleep deprivation and cognitive task.

Domaines: Médecine humaine et pathologie

Christophe Piérard, Pierrette Liscia, Jean-Nicolas Philippin, Nicole Mons, Thierry Lafon, et al.. Modafinil restores memory performance and neural activity impaired by sleep deprivation in mice.. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior / Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behaviour, 2007, 88 (1), pp.55-63. ⟨10.1016/j.pbb.2007.07.006⟩. ⟨hal-00275220⟩