Participation of vertebrate forebrain activating systems in organization of the wakefulness-sleep cycle

The article considers mechanisms of diencephalic-telencephalic interactions in regulation of the wakefulness-sleep cycle in various classes of vertebrates. In such interactions a special role is played by the dopaminergic systems that perform neurosecretory function at the level of diencephalon and neurotransmitter function at the level of telencephalon. Concepts of A.I. Karamyan and A.L. Polenov about the stage pattern of development of CNS and neurosecretory systems are presented, as well as the interconnection of dopaminergic and glutamatergic neurotransmitter systems in the mammalian neostriatum in the wakefulness-sleep cycle is considered. Comparison of dynamics of expression of the dopamine metabotropic receptors and of the glutamate ionotropic receptors in neostriatum showed unidirectional changes of D₁ and AMPA on the background of the 6-h sleep deprivation as well as of D₂ and NMDA on the background of postdeprivative sleep. The corticofugal direction of glutamate impulsation and its relatively fast actions allow admitting its triggering action on generation of the sleep-inducing processes in the underlying brain parts.