J Korean Med Sci.  2016 Oct;31(10):1624-1630. 10.3346/jkms.2016.31.10.1624.

Effect of Sleep Deprivation on the Male Reproductive System in Rats

• Choi JH
• Lee SH
• Bae JH
• Shim JS
• Park HS
• Kim YS
• Shin C

• KMID: 2468254
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2016.31.10.1624

Abstract

There has been no study reporting on the influence of sleep deprivation on the male reproductive system including sperm quality. In this study, we hypothesized that sleep deprivation could lead to adverse effect on the male reproductive system. The rats were divided into three groups: 1) control (home-cage, n = 10); 2) SD4 (sleep deprivation for 4 days, n = 10); and 3) SD7 (sleep deprivation for 7 days, n = 10). Sleep deprivation was performed by a modified multiple platform method. Sperm quality (sperm motion parameters and counts), hormone levels (corticosterone and testosterone), and the histopathology of testis were evaluated and compared between the three groups. A statistically significant reduction (P = 0.018) was observed in sperm motility in the SD7 group compared to those of the control group. However, there were no significant differences in other sperm motion parameters, or in sperm counts of the testis and cauda epididymis between three groups. Compared with the control group, the SD4 (P = 0.033) and SD7 (P = 0.002) groups exhibited significant increases of corticosterone levels, but significant decreases of testosterone levels were found in the SD4 (P = 0.001) and SD7 (P < 0.001) groups. Seminiferous tubular atrophy and/or spermatid retention was partially observed in the SD4 and SD7 groups, compared with the normal histopathology of the control group. Sleep deprivation may have an adverse effect on the male reproductive system in rats.

Keyword

Sleep Deprivation; Sperm Motility; Sperm Count; Corticosterone; Testosterone; Histopathology

MeSH Terms

Animals
Corticosterone/analysis
Male
Rats
Rats, Wistar
*Sleep Deprivation
Sperm Motility/physiology
Spermatozoa/cytology/*physiology
Testis/pathology
Testosterone/analysis
Testosterone
Corticosterone

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Comparison of sperm motility between the control, SD4, and SD7 groups. There are significant differences (F2,27 = 4.694, P = 0.018) in the motility of sperm (control: 85.5% ± 3.6%; SD4: 80.7% ± 4.4%; and SD7: 76.8% ± 9.4%) between the control, SD4, and SD7 groups. Compared to those of the control group, a statistically significant reduction (P = 0.018) was found in sperm motility of the SD7 group. Data are presented as means ± SD; One-way ANOVA followed by Scheffe test. SD4, sleep deprivation for 4 days; SD7, sleep deprivation for 7 days. *P < 0.05, significant difference between the control, SD4, and SD7 groups.

• 

  Fig. 2 Comparison of concentration of corticosterone between the control, SD4, and SD7 groups. There are significant differences (F2,27 = 7.870, P = 0.002) in the concentration of corticosterone between the control, SD4, and SD7 groups. Compared to those of the control group, significant increases in corticosterone levels were found in the SD4 (P = 0.033) and SD7 (P = 0.002) groups. Data are presented as means ± SD; One-way ANOVA followed by Scheffe test. SD4, sleep deprivation for 4 days; SD7, sleep deprivation for 7 days. *P < 0.05, †P < 0.01, significant difference among the control, SD4, and SD7 groups.

• 

  Fig. 3 Comparison of concentration of testosterone between the control, SD4, and SD7 groups. There are significant differences (F2,26 = 15.438, P < 0.001) in the concentration of testosterone between the control, SD4, and SD7 groups. Compared to those of the control group, there were significant decreases in testosterone levels in the SD4 (P = 0.001) and SD7 (P < 0.001) groups. Data are presented as means ± SD; One-way ANOVA followed by Scheffe test. SD4, sleep deprivation for 4 days; SD7, sleep deprivation for 7 days *P < 0.01, †P < 0.001, significant difference between the control, SD4, and SD7 groups.

• 

  Fig. 4 Histopathology of the testis in the control, SD4, and SD7 groups. Normal morphology of seminiferous tubules is seen in the control group. Abnormal morphology of seminiferous tubules is seen in the SD4 and SD7 groups. (A) The view of the control group: Normal finding of seminiferous tubules (Stages IX-XI of spermatogenesis). (B) The view of the SD4 group: Seminiferous tubules with spermatid retention (red arrow) (Stages IX-XI of spermatogenesis). (C) The view of the SD7 group: Seminiferous tubules with spermatid retention (red arrow) (Stages IX-XI of spermatogenesis). (D) The view of the SD7 group: Tubular cell depletion and germ cell disorganization (Stages XIII-XIV of spermatogenesis). PAS stain, magnification, × 400.

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