Brain catecholamines and sleep states in offspring of caffeine-treated rats

Caffeine was administered in the diet to rats throughout gestation. In the 2 consecutive untreated generations, an increase of parodoxical sleep was observed at maturity. In the 1st generation, the dopamine level was markedly reduced in the locus coeruleus, wheras that of noradrenaline remained constant. The effect was less pronounced in the 2nd generation.