Morphofunctional Changes in Structures of the Brain during Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation is widespread in modern society as a consequence of chronic stress and specificity of a number of civilian and military specialties. Correction of its consequences should take into account the fundamental principle of unity of form and function, realized by cellular-glial ensembles of anatomical formations of the brain. In this connection, the aim was set to characterize microscopic and ultramicroscopic rearrangements of brain structures involved in the regulation of the sleep–wake cycle during sleep deprivation. Changes in the main structures providing alternation of sleep–wake cycles acquire a pathological nature only in conditions of prolonged sleep deprivation associated with a threat to life. As a consequence, the methods of light microscopy are not sensitive enough to reveal the developed changes; however, electron microscopic study allows us to identify both specific ultramicroscopic rearrangements and desynchronosis between quantitative characteristics of organelles of cells of neuroglial ensembles and brain structures functionally united in providing the sleep–wake cycle.