Sleep promoting effects of intravenously administered acidic fibroblast growth factor

The influence of acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) on sleep was studied in conscious rabbits. An intravenous (i.v.) bolus injection of aFGF induced a significant increase in sleep duration in comparison with animals that received vehicle solution. Somnogenic effects were obtained 30 min following i.v. aFGF administration and lasted about 75 min. Furthermore, the somnogenic effects of aFGF were prevented by pretreatment with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME. Our findings demonstrate a somnogenic effect of aFGF which requires crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and implicate that nitric oxide sleep pathway may be involved in this biological effect.