Sleep loss during opioid withdrawal affects stress hormone regulation in male and female rats

Chronic sleep restriction during opioid abstinence resulted in a significant increase in hypothalamic vasopressin mRNA and plasma copeptin in male rats.

• Opioid abstinence increased plasma levels of ACTH and corticosterone in the morning in male rats, regardless of sleep state.
• Male rats experiencing sleep restriction showed a tendency for higher afternoon plasma ACTH during abstinence compared to controls.
• Responses of ACTH and corticosterone to acute stress were reduced in male rats subjected to sleep restriction.
• Female rats did not achieve the expected decrease in hormone levels after stress in the sleep restriction group.
• No differences were observed in adrenal weight when normalized to body weight across treatment groups.

Simplified