[Effect of experimentally induced generalized convulsions on the sleep-wakefulness cycle]

Electrical stimulation of the dorsal hippocampus appeared to have obvious effect on the ratio of phases of the wakefulness--sleep cycle: during the postconvulsive period when wakefulness is prolonged, paradoxical sleep is sharply decreased, while the slow wave sleep changes are insignificant. However, this effect is less pronounced after generalized seizures evoked by amygdaloid stimulation. Thus unspecific hyperactivation of the brain during experimentally induced generalized seizures exert an acute effect on the paradoxical sleep shortening its duration. This emphasized the functional significance of paradoxical sleep that might be a periodical increase of the brain activity during sleep.