Patterns of respiration and heart rate during wakefulness and sleep in elephant seal pups

Although breath holding during diving has been studied extensively in seals, the recent observation that these mammals also exhibit long-duration apnea while apparently sleeping has not been systematically examined. This project examined sleep apnea in northern elephant seal pups (Mirounga angustiro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe American journal of physiology Vol. 266; no. 3 Pt 2; p. R863
Main Authors Castellini, M A, Milsom, W K, Berger, R J, Costa, D P, Jones, D R, Castellini, J M, Rea, L D, Bharma, S, Harris, M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.03.1994
Subjects
Analysis of Variance
Animals
Apnea - physiopathology
Electrocardiography
Electroencephalography
Electromyography
Heart Rate
Immersion
Respiration
Seals, Earless - physiology
Sleep - physiology
Sleep Stages - physiology
Sleep, REM - physiology
Wakefulness - physiology
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Summary:Although breath holding during diving has been studied extensively in seals, the recent observation that these mammals also exhibit long-duration apnea while apparently sleeping has not been systematically examined. This project examined sleep apnea in northern elephant seal pups (Mirounga angustirostris). The animals exhibited a sequential sleep pattern of wakefulness-slow-wave sleep (SWS)-rapid eye movement (REM) sleep that resembled the normal pattern of mammalian sleep. The typical respiratory pattern during sleep in 4-mo-old pups consisted of short periods of continuous breathing separated by periods of apnea of up to 12 min. Several cycles of apnea and eupnea could occur during a single sleep episode. Breathing during a sleep cycle occurred only in SWS, never during REM sleep. The eupneic heart rate was characterized by significant sinus arrhythmia, and the apneic heart rate was similar to the minimum value during normal sinus arrhythmia. Patterns of change in breathing and heart rate associated with wakefulness and sleep were similar in seals sleeping underwater and on land. When sleeping underwater, the seals raised their heads to the surface to breathe without awakening. The changes in heart rate associated with normal sinus arrhythmia, sleep apnea, and diving apnea appear to be similar, suggesting regulation by a common homeostatic control mechanism.
ISSN:0002-9513
2163-5773
DOI:10.1152/ajpregu.1994.266.3.r863