Sleep deprivation impairs gastric ulcer healing and induces anxiety-like behavior in rats

This study investigated the effects of total sleep deprivation (SD) on gastric ulcer (GU) healing, anxiety-like behavior, neuro-oxidative stress, antioxidant defenses, and prefrontal cortical histoarchitecture in male Wistar rats.

SD exacerbated weight loss, elevated corticosterone levels, ulcer area, and delayed GU healing. Ulcer+sleep-deprived rats exhibited increased thigmotaxis, reduced center exploration, locomotion, and rearing. Biochemical analyses revealed sustained malondialdehyde elevation and decreased antioxidant activity. Histology demonstrated progressive prefrontal cortex neurodegeneration, most severe in ulcer+sleep-deprived group by day 14. These findings demonstrates that SD during GU healing intensifies neuro-oxidative stress, disrupts antioxidant defenses, aggravates anxiety-like behavior and promotes neurodegeneration, collectively delaying gastric-mucosal repair.