Neuroanatomical, Neurochemical and DNA Fragmentation Effects of Maternal Sleep Deprivation on the Hippocampal CA1 Region of F1 Female Wistar Rat Offspring

Abstract

Maternal sleep deprivation (MSD) during pregnancy may adversely affect offspring neurodevelopment, particularly hippocampal structure and function. This study investigated the effects of gestational sleep deprivation on the hippocampal CA1 region of female F1 Wistar rat offspring, focusing on pyramidal cell number, glutamate concentration, and DNA fragmentation. Adult male and female Wistar rats were acclimatized for two weeks before mating. Female estrous cycles were monitored, and successful mating was confirmed by spermatozoa and vaginal plug detection, designated as gestational day (GD) 0. Pregnant dams were randomly assigned to control or MSD groups. Dams in the MSD group underwent 20 hours of daily sleep deprivation from GD5 to GD14 using the modified multiple-platform method, targeting a critical period of fetal brain development. Female F1 offspring were euthanized on postnatal day 43 for tissue collection and analysis. Glutamate concentration in the CA1 region was quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), while thionine staining combined with unbiased stereological analysis was used to estimate pyramidal cell number. DNA fragmentation was assessed using Feulgen staining and optical density measurements. Compared with controls, MSD offspring exhibited significant reductions in CA1 glutamate concentration and pyramidal cell number, accompanied by significantly increased DNA fragmentation optical density. These findings demonstrate that gestational sleep deprivation induces persistent neurochemical, structural, and epigenetic alterations in the hippocampal CA1 region of female offspring, indicating that prenatal sleep loss may disrupt hippocampal development and impair long-term hippocampal function.