STUDIES ON THE PHYSIOLOGY OF SLEEP

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Abstract
Puppies deprived of sleep for several days showed a progressive muscular weakness which in some cases led to coma and death. There were no appreciable variations in body temp. heart rate, respiratory rate, blood sugar, alkaline reserve or white blood cells. The red blood cell count fell, occasionally as much as 25%. A neurological study of various parts of the central nervous system was entirely negative. Sleep was favored by any condition that allowed relaxation of the body musculature. That cerebral anemia is neither the cause nor result of sleep was determined by direct inspection of the brain. Puppies will also sleep with their heads down. The experiments in general support the author''s previous hypothesis that sleep comes from a decrease in the number of afferent impulses reaching the central nervous system. Muscular relaxation decreases the proprioceptive impulses and is the last stage of the process by which sleep is precipitated.

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