1980 Volume 20 Issue 12 Pages 1215-1222
Plateau waves were produced experimentally during evoked sleep in cats and primates with kaolin-induced hydrocephalus. At the acute stage of hydrocephalus with moderate intracranial hypertention, Krebs-Ringer's solution containing excess calcium was perfused within the posterior region of the hypothalamus to induce sleep. Behavioral and physiological signs such as sleep were evoked within 5 to 30 min. following the start of perfusion, and lasted as long as 3 to 5 hours. When calcium ions had not sufficiently altered the arousal level of animals, sleep was induced by intravenous administration of a precursor of serotonin. In cats and primates with ICP raised above 15 mmHg, the ICP during induced sleep was exaggerated and developed plateau waves which had amplitudes of over 90 mmHg and durations of within 5 min. These plateau waves were highly reproducible. A relatively right situation of the intracranial space was a necessary condition for production of the plateau waves. The functional change in the hypothalamus involved in the sleep mechanism plays as an important role in formation of the plateau waves.
