Effect of sleep deprivation on dopamine receptor function in normal subjects

Twenty-four hours sleep deprivation significantly decreased the growth hormone response to the dopamine receptor agonist, apomorphine HCl, in five normal men (0.5 mg s.c.) and one woman (0.75 mg s.c.) but had no effect on basal or post-apomorphine prolactin concentrations. These results suggest that sleep deprivation decreases the sensitivity of certain central dopamine receptors. The relevance of this finding to the antidepressant effect of sleep deprivation is unclear.