In humans and animals, exposure to changes in internal or external environments causes acute stress, which changes sleep and enhances neurochemical, neuroendocrine, and sympathetic activities. Repeated stress responses play an essential role in the pathogenesis of psychiatric diseases and sleep disorders. However, the underlying mechanism of sleep changes and anxiety disorders in response to acute stress is not well established. In the current study, the effects of restraint stress (RS) on anxiety and sleep–wake cycles in mice were investigated. …
… Altogether, the findings from the present study indicated that neural circuits from the parabrachial nucleus might regulate anxiety and sleep responses to acute stress, and suggest a potential therapeutic target for RS induced anxiety and sleep alterations.