Pain hypersensitivity induced by paradoxical sleep deprivation is not due to altered binding to brain μ-opioid receptors

Previous studies have established a relationship between sleep disruption and pain, and it has been suggested that hyperalgesia induced by paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) could be due to a reduction of opioidergic neurotransmission in the brain. In the present study rats deprived of sleep for 96 h as well as rats allowed to recover for 24 h after PSD and normal controls received vehicle or morphine (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg, i.p.) and were tested on a hot plate 1 h later. Quantitative receptor autoradiography was used to map alterations in binding to brain μ-opioid receptors in separate groups. Results demonstrated that PSD induced a significant reduction in thermal pain threshold, as measured by paw withdrawal latencies. This effect did not return to baseline control values after 24 h of sleep recovery. The usual analgesic effect of morphine was observed in the control group but not in PSD or rebound groups except at the highest dose (10 mg/kg). Binding of [3H]DAMGO to μ sites did not differ significantly among the three groups in any of the 33 brain regions examined. These results do not exclude the participation of the opioid system in PSD-induced pain hypersensitivity since sleep-deprived rats were clearly resistant to morphine. However, the fact no changes were seen in [3H]DAMGO binding indicates that mechanisms other than altered μ-opioid binding must be sought to explain the phenomenon.