Staying up all night, inducing sleep deprivation, can reverse depression

A team of neurobiologists at Northwestern University has discovered a surprising effect of sleep deprivation that could have implications for understanding and treating depression. 

The experts found that one sleepless night can trigger the rapid alleviation of depression, a phenomenon attributed to increased dopamine release and changes in brain plasticity, particularly in the prefrontal cortex. The powerful antidepressant effects seem to last for several days. 

The science of sleeplessness

Staying up all night leads to a peculiar state of being exhausted yet oddly buoyant. The Northwestern team’s research indicates that this “punch-drunk” effect is due to a surge in dopamine – a neurotransmitter associated with the brain’s reward system. 

“Interestingly, changes in mood state after acute sleep loss feel so real, even in healthy subjects, as experienced by myself and many others,” said study first author Mingzheng Wu. “But the exact mechanisms in the brain that lead to these effects have remained poorly understood.”

Experimenting on mice, Wu and study co-author Professor Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy noticed not just a spike in dopamine release during sleep deprivation but also an increase in synaptic plasticity. This is the brain’s ability to change and adapt as a result of experience.

Sleep deprivation rewires the brain

The researchers found that the increase in plasticity seems to rewire the brain temporarily, resulting in sustained mood improvements that last several days. 

“Chronic sleep loss is well studied, and it’s uniformly detrimental effects are widely documented,” said Professor Kozorovitskiy. “But brief sleep loss – like the equivalent of a student pulling an all-nighter before an exam – is less understood.” 

“We found that sleep loss induces a potent antidepressant effect and rewires the brain. This is an important reminder of how our casual activities, such as a sleepless night, can fundamentally alter the brain in as little as a few hours.”

Affective disorders and sleep deprivation

Affective disorders, also known as mood disorders, are psychiatric conditions that primarily affect a person’s emotional state.

The most common affective disorder is major depressive disorder, often simply referred to as depression. It is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest in activities, and a range of physical and cognitive symptoms that significantly impair one’s ability to function.

According to the study authors, their findings could help experts better understand how mood states transition naturally. The study may also lead to a more complete understanding of how fast-acting antidepressants (like ketamine) work. In addition, it will help researchers identify previously unknown targets for new antidepressant medications.

Focus of the study 

To achieve acute sleep deprivation without causing undue stress, the researchers employed a technique that kept mice awake in a gentle yet effective manner. 

The animals displayed hyperactive and aggressive behavior during their sleepless state, paired with a marked increase in sexual behavior.

The researchers measured the activity of dopamine neurons using advanced tools. They found that this activity was higher in animals during the brief sleep loss period.

“We were curious which specific regions of the brain were responsible for the behavioral changes,” said Kozorovitskiy. “We wanted to know if it was a large, broadcast signal that affected the entire brain or if it was something more specialized.”

The role of dopamine

By focusing on specific brain regions, the team pinpointed the prefrontal cortex as a crucial area for the antidepressant effect of sleep loss. Silencing dopamine responses in this region nullified the mood-lifting benefits, indicating its significance in rapid antidepressant effects. 

“The antidepressant effect persisted except when we silenced dopamine inputs in the prefrontal cortex,” said Professor Kozorovitskiy. “That means the prefrontal cortex is a clinically relevant area when searching for therapeutic targets.” 

“But it also reinforces the idea that has been building in the field recently: Dopamine neurons play very important but very different roles in the brain. They are not just this monolithic population that simply predicts rewards.”

Lasting effects of sleep deprivation

While the hyperactivity induced by sleep deprivation faded quickly, the antidepressant effects remained for days. The researchers linked this to the formation of dendritic spines – tiny, adaptable protrusions on neurons in the prefrontal cortex. 

Disrupting these spines reversed the antidepressant effects, confirming that changes in neuroplasticity are a key factor.

Sleep deprivation was an evolutionary advantage

Kozorovitskiy speculates that these effects of sleep deprivation might stem from evolutionary pressures. For early humans, heightened alertness and functioning could provide an edge in dangerous situations.

“It’s clear that acute sleep deprivation is somehow activating to an organism,” said Kozorovitskiy. “You can imagine certain situations where there is a predator or some sort of danger where you need a combination of relatively high function with an ability to delay sleep.” 

“I think this could be something that we’re seeing here. If you are losing sleep routinely, then different chronic effects set in that will be uniformly detrimental. But in a transient way, you can imagine situations where it’s beneficial to be intensely alert for a period of time.”

Words of caution

Despite these findings, Professor Kozorovitskiy warns against using sleep deprivation as a DIY remedy for depression. The effects are short-lived.

“The antidepressant effect is transient, and we know the importance of a good night’s sleep,” said Kozorovitskiy. “I would say you are better off hitting the gym or going for a nice walk. This new knowledge is more important when it comes to matching a person with the right antidepressant.”

Study highlights

“The pathophysiology of affective disorders – particularly circuit-level mechanisms underlying bidirectional, periodic affective state transitions – remains poorly understood. In patients, disruptions of sleep and circadian rhythm can trigger transitions to manic episodes, whereas depressive states are reversed,” wrote the study authors. 

“Here, we introduce a hybrid automated sleep deprivation platform to induce transitions of affective states in mice. Acute sleep loss causes mixed behavioral states, featuring hyperactivity, elevated social and sexual behaviors, and diminished depressive-like behaviors, where transitions depend on dopamine.”

The study is published in the journal Neuron.

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