Exp Neurobiol.  2021 Dec;30(6):387-400. 10.5607/en21023.

Validation of the Thyrotoxicosis-associated Insomnia Model Induced by Thyroxine through Sympathetic Stimulation: Face, Construct and Predictive Perspectives

• Ai Z
• He H
• Wang T
• Chen L
• Huang C
• Chen C
• Xu P
• Zhu G
• Yang M
• Song Y
• Su D

• KMID: 2524036
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5607/en21023

Abstract

Insomnia has become a common central nervous system disease. At present, the pathogenesis of insomnia is not clear. Animal models can help us understand the pathogenesis of the disease and can be used in transformational medicine. Therefore, it is very necessary to establish an appropriate model of insomnia. Clinical data show that insomnia patients with high levels of thyroxine and often accompanied by cardiovascular problems, a common mechanism underlying all of these physiological disruptions is the sympathetic nervous system. Combined with the characteristics of chronic onset of clinical insomnia, an insomnia model induced by long-term intraperitoneal injection of thyroid hormone has been created in our laboratory. In this paper, the insomnia-like state of the model was evaluated based on three validity criteria. Face validity has been demonstrated in metabolism, the Morris water maze, electrocardiogram (ECG) and electroencephalogram (EEG). Structure validity has been proved by the results of targeted metabolomics. After treatment with diazepam, a commonly used clinical anti-insomnia drug, the above physiological and pathological disorders were reversed. The results of comprehensive analysis show that the established thyrotoxicosis-associated insomnia model meets the validity requirement to establish an appropriate animal model of insomnia. The model presented in this article might help to study pathogenetic mechanisms of clinical insomnia, as well as to test promising methods of insomnia treatment.

Keyword

Insomnia; Animal model; Thyroxine; Sleep disorders; Rats