Pattern of rapid-eye movement sleep episode occurrence after an immobilization stress in the rat

Rapid-eye movement sleep (REMS) in the rat occurs in the form of episodes separated by long (>3 min: isolated REMS episodes, IREMSEs) and short (<3 min: sequential REMS episodes, SREMSEs) intervals. The mechanism clustering SREMSEs is thought to be better suited to increase the amount of REMS when its drive is high. We tested this hypothesis in a new situation by transiently augmenting this drive with a moderate psychogenic stress. After a 90-min immobilization stress, REMS increased by 54% over the rest of the dark phase. This increase was associated with a modest increase in IREMSEs (+40%), but a massive increase in SREMSEs (+300%). Thus, the mechanism that clusters REMS episodes operates in response to a moderate psychogenic stress imposed in standard laboratory conditions and not preceded by sleep deprivation.