Morphine-induced deficits in sleep patterns: attenuation by glucose.

Morphine effects on many neural and behavioral measures, including tests of learning and memory, are attenuated by increased circulating glucose levels. Using systemic injections, we investigated the ability of glucose to attenuate sleep deficits induced by morphine administration in the rat. Morphine at 1 mg/kg produced a moderate decrease in slow wave sleep which was prevented by concomitant administration of 100 mg/kg of glucose. A higher dose of morphine (10 mg/kg) severely delayed the onset of both slow wave sleep and REM sleep. These delays were attenuated by concurrent administration of 250 mg/kg of glucose. Thus, glucose reversals of morphine effects are also extended to measures of sleep.