N-Acetylmannosamine improves sleep-wake quality in middle-aged mice: relevance to autonomic nervous function.

Abstract

Aging is associated with a variety of physiological changes originating peripherally and centrally, including within the autonomic nervous system. Sleep-wake disturbances constitute reliable hallmarks of aging in several animal species and humans. Recent studies have been interested in N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc) a potential therapeutic agent for improving quality of life, as well as preventing age-related cognitive decline. In this study, ManNAc (5.0 mg/ml) was administered in the drinking water of middle-aged male C57BL/6J mice (55 weeks old) for 7 days. Mice were housed under a 12:12 h light:dark cycle at 23-24 °C. We evaluated bio-behavioral activity using electrocardiogram, body temperature and locomotor activity recorded by an implanted telemetry transmitter. To estimate sleep-wake profile, surface electroencephalogram and electromyogram leads connected to a telemetry transmitter were also implanted in mice. Autonomic nervous activity was evaluated using power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. ManNAc-treated mice spent more time in a wakeful state and less time in slow wave sleep during the dark phase. Parasympathetic nervous activity was increased following ManNAc treatment, then the sympatho-vagal balance was shifted predominance of parasympathetic nervous system. Furthermore, improvement in sleep-wake pattern was associated with increased parasympathetic nervous activity. These results suggest that ManNAc treatment can improve bio-behavioral activity and sleep-wake quality in middle-aged mice. This may have implications for improving sleep patterns in elderly humans.

• Authors: Masayoshi Kuwahara, Koichi Ito, Koji Hayakawa, Shintaro Yagi, Kunio Shiota
• Journal: Autonomic neuroscience : basic & clinical (Auton Neurosci) Vol. 187 Pg. 56-62 (Jan 2015) ISSN: 1872-7484 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 25443216 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Hexosamines
• N-acetylmannosamine

Topics

• Aging
• Animals
• Autonomic Nervous System (drug effects, physiology)
• Blood Pressure (drug effects)
• Body Temperature (drug effects)
• Brain Waves (drug effects)
• Electrocardiography
• Electroencephalography
• Electromyography
• Fourier Analysis
• Heart Rate (drug effects)
• Hexosamines (pharmacology)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Motor Activity (drug effects)
• Sleep (drug effects)
• Statistics as Topic
• Telemetry
• Wakefulness (drug effects)