Effect of Sleep Deprivation on the Male Reproductive System in Rats

Impact of chronic sleep deprivation on male reproductive health: Insights from testicular and epididymal responses in mice

BACKGROUND

Sleep deprivation (SD) can cause damage to the male reproductive system. However, the duration required for such damage and the specific sequence and severity of damage to the testis and epididymis remain unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of different durations of SD on different parts of the testis and epididymis caput, corpus, and cauda.

METHODS

Adult ICR mice were randomly assigned to five groups: the SD group (SD for 18 h/day for 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks), the SD + Vit E group (supplemented with Vit E 50 mg/kg/d during 4 weeks of SD, the SD+NS group (saline supplementation during 4 weeks of SD), the SD + RS group (5 weeks of recovery sleep after 4 weeks of SD), and a normal sleep control (Ctrl) group. Following the interventions, sperm parameters, testicular and epididymal histopathology, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress markers were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

Compared to the Ctrl group, the SD group showed a decrease in sperm motility and concentration from SD 2 W and SD 3 W, respectively. Decreases in sperm concentration and motility were more pronounced in the cauda compared to the caput and corpus. Pathological damage was less severe in the epididymis caput than in the corpus and cauda. After 4 weeks of SD, inflammation and oxidative stress increased in both testes and epididymis. Both sleep recovery and vitamin E supplementation showed significant improvements, though they did not fully reach the level of the Ctrl group.

CONCLUSION

Chronic SD for more than 2 weeks causes varying degrees of damage to the testis, epididymis caput, corpus, and cauda in male mice. This damage is not fully reversible after 5 weeks of sleep recovery and antioxidant stress treatment. These findings help us to identify and prevent SD damage to the male reproduction at an early stage.

A metabolomic perspective on the mechanisms by which environmental pollutants and lifestyle lead to male infertility

The incidence of male infertility (MI) is rising annually. According to epidemiological studies, environmental pollution (e.g., organic, inorganic, and air pollutants), occupational exposure (e.g., high temperature, organic solvents, and pesticides), and poor lifestyle (e.g., diet, sleep, smoking, alcohol consumption, and exercise) are important non-genetic causative factors of MI. Due to multiple and complex causative factors, the dose-effect relationship, and the uncertainty of pathogenicity, the pathogenesis of MI is far from fully clarified. Recent data show that the pathogenesis of MI can be monitored by the metabolites in serum, seminal plasma, urine, testicular tissue, sperm, and other biological samples. It is considered that these metabolites are closely related to MI phenotypes and can directly reflect the individual pathological and physiological conditions. Therefore, qualitative and quantitative analysis of the metabolome, the related metabolic pathways, and the identification of biomarkers will help to explore the MI-related metabolic problems and provide valuable insights into its pathogenic mechanisms. Here, we summarized new findings in MI metabolomics biomarkers research and their abnormal metabolic pathways triggered by the presented non-genetic risk factors, providing a metabolic landscape of semen and seminal plasma in general MI patients. Then, we compared the similarities and differences in semen and seminal plasma biomarkers between MI patients exposed to environmental and poor lifestyle factors and MI patients in general, and summarized some common biomarkers. We provide a better understanding of the biological underpinnings of MI pathogenesis, which might offer novel diagnostic, prognostic, and precise treatment approaches to MI.

Degenerative changes induced by paradoxical sleep deprivation in rat sublingual glands

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether sleep deprivation can induce degenerative changes in rat sublingual glands.

METHODS

For this purpose, a total of 24 males were distributed into three groups: control (n = 8), in which the animals were not subjected to any procedure; sleep deprivation (n = 8) in which the animals were submitted to sleep deprivation for 96 h; recovery (n = 8), in which the animals were subjected to paradoxical sleep deprivation for 96 consecutive hours followed by 96 h without intervention. Morphological changes in sublingual glands as well as the immunoexpressions of some proteins, such as Ki-67, p16, cleaved caspase-3 and BCL-2 were investigated in this setting.

RESULTS

The results showed that paradoxical sleep deprivation induced tissue degeneration as a result of the presence of pyknosis, vacuoles and areas of salivary retention, in the experimental groups. Expression of cleaved caspase 3 and BCL-2 were increased in both sleep deprivation and recovery groups. The analysis of Ki-67 showed an increase in expression only in the recovery group, associated with a decrease in p16 levels.

CONCLUSION

Sleep deprivation can induce a degenerative process in the parenchyma of sublingual gland by means of dysregulation of apoptosis associated with proliferative activity.

Sleep deprivation induces structural changes in the adult rat testis: The protective effects of olive oil

OBJECTIVE

Sleep deprivation (SD) is a common problem in today's stressful lifestyle and have physiological consequences, including reproductive dysfunction and infertility. As an antioxidant, olive oil may be effective in reducing testicular and spermatological damage by decreasing the production of free radicals.

METHODS

This study investigated the effects of olive oil on sperm quality and testicular structure using stereological methods to assess rats with SD.

RESULTS

When comparing SD group to grid floor+distilled water (GR) group, we found that the sperm count and motility, as well as the percentage of slow progressive sperm was significantly lower in SD group (p<0.05), but the percentage of immotile sperm was higher (p<0.01). However, no improvement was observed in sperm count or motility after concomitant treatment of SD group with olive oil. Stereological examinations revealed no significant change in the total volumes of the seminiferous tubules, interstitial tissue, and germinal epithelium in the study groups. Conversely, the total number of testicular cell types was significantly lower in SD group than in GR group. Although the total number of Sertoli and Leydig cells was significantly higher in the SD+olive oil group than in the untreated SD group, no significant difference in the total number of other testicular cell types was observed between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

SD potentially induced structural changes in testis that affected sperm count and motility. However, olive oil only improved the total number of Sertoli and Leydig cells in the animals with SD and did not improve sperm count and motility.

Machine Learning Predictive Models for Evaluating Risk Factors Affecting Sperm Count: Predictions Based on Health Screening Indicators

In many countries, especially developed nations, the fertility rate and birth rate have continually declined. Taiwan's fertility rate has paralleled this trend and reached its nadir in 2022. Therefore, the government uses many strategies to encourage more married couples to have children. However, couples marrying at an older age may have declining physical status, as well as hypertension and other metabolic syndrome symptoms, in addition to possibly being overweight, which have been the focus of the studies for their influences on male and female gamete quality. Many previous studies based on infertile people are not truly representative of the general population. This study proposed a framework using five machine learning (ML) predictive algorithms-random forest, stochastic gradient boosting, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, ridge regression, and extreme gradient boosting-to identify the major risk factors affecting male sperm count based on a major health screening database in Taiwan. Unlike traditional multiple linear regression, ML algorithms do not need statistical assumptions and can capture non-linear relationships or complex interactions between dependent and independent variables to generate promising performance. We analyzed annual health screening data of 1375 males from 2010 to 2017, including data on health screening indicators, sourced from the MJ Group, a major health screening center in Taiwan. The symmetric mean absolute percentage error, relative absolute error, root relative squared error, and root mean squared error were used as performance evaluation metrics. Our results show that sleep time (ST), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), body fat (BF), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) are the top five risk factors associated with sperm count. ST is a known risk factor influencing reproductive hormone balance, which can affect spermatogenesis and final sperm count. BF and SBP are risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome, another known risk factor of altered male reproductive hormone systems. However, AFP has not been the focus of previous studies on male fertility or semen quality. BUN, the index for kidney function, is also identified as a risk factor by our established ML model. Our results support previous findings that metabolic syndrome has negative impacts on sperm count and semen quality. Sleep duration also has an impact on sperm generation in the testes. AFP and BUN are two novel risk factors linked to sperm counts. These findings could help healthcare personnel and law makers create strategies for creating environments to increase the country's fertility rate. This study should also be of value to follow-up research.

Attenuation Effect of Recovery Sleep for Impaired Reproductive Function in Male Rats by Sleep Deprivation

PURPOSE

The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that recovery sleep could counteract the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation (SD) on male rats' fertility.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-two rats were housed in groups of six per cage with unrestricted access to food and water in a room. The modified multiple platform method was used to induce SD in rats over a 96-hour period. We examined the effect of SD on semen quality, reproductive hormones, and testicular histology in adult male rats. Then, we investigated the effect of 7 days recovery sleep on impaired reproductive function induced by SD.

RESULTS

After the acclimation period, 22 rats were randomly separated into three experimental groups (SD, recovery sleep, and the control groups). Ninety-six hours of SD resulted in a significant decrease in sperm motility (24.33±10.93 vs. 48.20±8.55, p<0.001) and the number of morphologically normal sperm (9.68±2.77 vs. 26.21±14.60, p<0.01) in rats, accompanied by a decrease in testosterone levels (1.53±0.55 vs. 4.44±0.56, p<0.001) and destruction of testicular tissue structure compared with control group. After 7 days of recovery sleep, semen quality, especially sperm motility, was improved and testosterone levels were significantly higher compared to post-SD (3.70±0.53 vs. 1.53±0.55, p<0.05), but remained low compared to the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, 96 hours of SD deteriorated the parameters of sperm motility and the number of morphologically normal sperm in rats, probably due to the decrease in serum testosterone levels and the disruption of testicular tissue structure when compared to the control group. After 7 days of recovery sleep, semen parameter, especially sperm motility and testosterone levels did not return to baseline levels compared to the control group.

Social sleepers: The effects of social status on sleep in terrestrial mammals

Social status among group-living mammals can impact access to resources, such as water, food, social support, and mating opportunities, and this differential access to resources can have fitness consequences. Here, we propose that an animal's social status impacts their access to sleep opportunities, as social status may predict when an animal sleeps, where they sleep, who they sleep with, and how well they sleep. Our review of terrestrial mammals examines how sleep architecture and intensity may be impacted by (1) sleeping conditions and (2) the social experience during wakefulness. Sleeping positions vary in thermoregulatory properties, protection from predators, and exposure to parasites. Thus, if dominant individuals have priority of access to sleeping positions, they may benefit from higher quality sleeping conditions and, in turn, better sleep. With respect to waking experiences, we discuss the impacts of stress on sleep, as it has been established that specific social statuses can be characterized by stress-related physiological profiles. While much research has focused on how dominance hierarchies impact access to resources like food and mating opportunities, differential access to sleep opportunities among mammals has been largely ignored despite its potential fitness consequences.

Impaired Human Sexual and Erectile Function Affecting Semen Quality, in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Pilot Study

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a rising problem, with important implications for public health. Recent evidence has revealed a link between OSA and reduced male fertility. We investigated the association between OSA and sexual and erectile function, as well as semen quality, and the effect of treatment by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). A total of 41 male subjects, who underwent polysomnography for suspected OSA, participated in the study. Erectile and sexual function were assessed with the 15-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-15) questionnaire, blood samples, and sperm analysis. OSA patients after the initiation of CPAP treatment were followed for a period of 1 year. Thirty-two patients were diagnosed with OSA, and nine subjects without OSA were used as a control group. OSA patients demonstrated significantly impaired erectile function, reduced testosterone levels, and lower semen quality. Multivariable regression analysis showed that BMI and IIEF score were independent determinants of AHI. Sexual function improved after a year of CPAP therapy in OSA patients. This study provides further evidence regarding the association between OSA and erectile function impairment, as well as semen quality. Longitudinal adherence to CPAP treatment has a beneficial effect on erectile function.

The potential impacts of circadian rhythm disturbances on male fertility

A circadian rhythm is an internalized timing system that synchronizes the cellular, behavioral, and physiological processes of organisms to the Earth's rotation. Because all physiological activities occur at a specific time, circadian rhythm disturbances can lead to various pathological disorders and diseases. Growing evidence has shown that the circadian clock is tightly connected to male fertility, and circadian perturbations contribute to infertility. The night shiftwork, insufficient sleep, and poor sleep quality are common causes of circadian disturbances, and many studies have reported that they impair sperm quality and increase the risk of male infertility. However, research on the impacts of light, body temperature, and circadian/circannual rhythms is relatively lacking, although some correlations have been demonstrated. Moreover, as the index of sperm quality was diverse and study designs were non-uniform, the conclusions were temporarily inconsistent and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. A better understanding of whether and how circadian disturbances regulate male fertility will be meaningful, as more scientific work schedules and rational lifestyles might help improve infertility.

Inflammatory activity and apoptosis are associated with tissue degeneration in the submandibular gland of rats submitted to paradoxical sleep deprivation

The aim of this study was to evaluate if paradoxical sleep deprivation is able to induce tissue degeneration, inflammatory activity and apoptosis in the submandibular gland of rats. A total of 24 male Wistar rats were distributed into the following groups: group 1-control (CTRL; n = 8): the animals were not submitted to any procedures; group 2-sleep deprivation (PS; n = 8): the animals were submitted to paradoxical sleep deprivation for 96 h and group 3-recovery (R; n = 8): the animals were submitted to sleep deprivation for 96 h, followed by a period of 96 h without any intervention. The following parameters were evaluated: histopathological analysis, immunohistochemistry for Ki-67, COX-2 and cleaved caspase-3 and gene expression of TNF-α, Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Interleukin 10 (IL-10) and cytochrome C by real-time PCR. The results pointed out cytoplasmic vacuoles and congested vessels in the parenchyma of submandibular gland the in PS and R groups. The expression of interleukins 6, 10 and TNF-ɑ was differentially expressed in the PS and R groups. Apoptosis was also triggered by means of increasing cleaved caspase-3 and cytochrome c expression. The cellular proliferation (Ki-67 index) was also positive in the R group. Taken together, our results demonstrate that sleep deprivation is capable of promoting tissue degeneration in the submandibular gland, as a result of inflammatory response and cellular death in rats.

Increased de novo glutathione production enhances sexual dysfunctions in rats subjected to paradoxical sleep deprivation

OBJECTIVE

Poor quality of sexual life has been reported secondary to poor sleep or sleep deprivation. Paradoxical sleep is an integral part of the sleep-wakefulness physiology and prolonged paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) may even be fatal. The objective of this investigation was to determine if D-ribose-L-cysteine (RibCys) and zinc (Zn) administration can attenuate the effect of PSD on the sexual function of male rats.

METHODS

Following acclimatization, 25 male rats were randomly distributed into five groups of 5 rats each. The PSD, PSD+RibCys, PSD+Zn, PSD+RibCys+Zn, and Control groups were sleep-deprived only, sleep-deprived and given 100mg/kg body-weight of pure RibCys, sleep-deprived and given 10mg/kg body weight Zn, sleep-deprived and given a combination of 100mg/kg of RibCys and 10mg/kg of Zn, and given distilled water without sleep deprivation, respectively. PSD lasted for 20 hours per day for 14 days. Subsequently, the sexual behavioral study was carried out and the animals were sacrificed for biochemical assays.

RESULTS

Analyses of results show that for animals treated with RibCys or Zn, all sexual parameters such as mount frequency and latency, intromission frequency and latency and ejaculation frequency and latency were significantly improved compared with animals subjected to PSD only. This improvement correlates strongly with serum glutathione (GHS) levels.

CONCLUSION

In summary, riboceine increases circulating GHS, which leads to improved sexual function during sleep deprivation.

Quality of sleep among social media users during the lockdown period due to COVID-19 in Spain

Aims

To analyse the quality of sleep of the Spanish population during the lockdown due to COVID-19.

Design

Cross-sectional descriptive study using a web based survey design.

Methods

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire and sociodemographic, occupational, health and sleep quality variables were used to collect data during the first month of the lockdown period due to COVID-19 (March–April 2020). A snowball sampling was carried out, where participants were asked to disseminate and distribute the questionnaire among their own profiles in social networks.

Results

A representative sample of 5220 participants aged ≥18 years old took part in the study. The global PSQI score was 8.17 points (SD 4.43). A statistical association was found between the global PSQI score and several of the variables collected. Findings show that the quality of sleep was worse among women (p < 0.001), single participants (p 0.02), those working in rotating shifts (p < 0.001), on-site workers (p < 0.001), and people diagnosed with COVID-19 or who had someone in their environment diagnosed with the virus (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Findings show that the Spanish population has experienced poor quality of sleep during the lockdown period. Being a woman, working in rotating shifts, having suffered from COVID-19 or having someone close suffering from COVID-19, being unemployed or being affected by a Temporary Redundancy Scheme, as well as spending long hours in bed were associated with poorer sleep quality. On the contrary, being older and sleeping longer hours were associated with a better sleep quality.

The effect of sleep on male reproductive system: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis

BACKGROUND

the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of sleep deprivation on semen analyses, hormone levels and testicular histopathology in men.

METHODS

this review will be included in a qualified case-control study. The search strategy will be implemented in PubMed, Embase, Web of science, Cochrane library, China National knowledge Infrastructure database, Wanfang Database, and the Cochrane library. We will solicit both English and Chinese case-control studies published from its beginning to July 31, 2020. The 2 examiners will independently screen, select research, extract data and evaluate quality. We use Revman5.3 software to generate funnel map, heterogeneity assessment, data analysis, subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

in the current meta-analysis, we will provide some more practical and targeted results for the study of the effects of sleep on the male reproductive system, and sum up the main limitations of previous studies.

CONCLUSION

this study will provide new evidence for the effect of sleep on male reproductive system.

Associations of bedtime, sleep duration, and sleep quality with semen quality in males seeking fertility treatment: a preliminary study

BACKGROUND

Poor sleep has been linked to a number of adverse health outcomes. Recent studies suggest that late bedtimes, short or long sleep durations, and poor sleep quality may impair semen quality. No study has previously explored all three factors in relation to semen quality.

RESULTS

One hundred and four men and their partners treated at three fertility clinics in Denmark between 2010 and 2012 completed an online-version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The results of the semen analyses conducted at the fertility clinics were self-reported and categorised as normal or reduced.Early bedtime (< 10:30 PM) was more often associated with normal semen quality compared with both regular (10:30 PM-11:29 PM) and late (≥11:30 PM) bedtime (OR: 2.75, 95%CI: 1.1-7.1, p = 0.04 and OR: 3.97, 95%CI: 1.2-13.5, p = 0.03). Conventional sleep duration (7.5-7.99 h) was more often associated with normal semen quality than both short (7.0-7.49 h) and very short (< 7.0 h) sleep duration (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.2-12.9, p = 0.03 and OR: 6.18, 95%CI: 1.6-24.2, p = 0.01). Although poor sleep quality was associated with reduced semen quality in the descriptive statistics (p = 0.04), no differences were found between optimal (PSQI ≤6) and either borderline (PSQI 7-8) or poor (PSQI ≥9) sleep quality (OR: 1.19, 95%CI: 0.4-3.4, p = 0.75 and OR: 2.43, 95%CI: 0.8-7.1, p = 0.11) in multivariate regression models.

CONCLUSION

Early bedtimes (< 10:30 PM) and conventional sleep duration (7.5-7.99 h) were associated with self-reported normal semen quality. The role of subjective sleep quality remains uncertain.

Sleep and Reproductive Health

The reproductive function of humans is regulated by several sex hormones which are secreted in synergy with the circadian timing of the body. Sleep patterns produce generic signatures that physiologically drive the synthesis, secretion, and metabolism of hormones necessary for reproduction. Sleep deprivation among men and women is increasingly reported as one of the causes of infertility. In animal models, sleep disturbances impair the secretion of sexual hormones thereby leading to a decrease in testosterone level, reduced sperm motility and apoptosis of the Leydig cells in male rats. Sleep deprivation generates stressful stimuli intrinsically, due to circadian desynchrony and thereby increases the activation of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis, which, consequently, increases the production of corticosterone. The elevated level of corticosteroids results in a reduction in testosterone production. Sleep deprivation produces a commensurate effect on women by reducing the chances of fertility. Sleeplessness among female shift workers suppresses melatonin production as well as excessive HPA activation which results in early pregnancy loss, failed embryo implantation, anovulation and amenorrhea. Sleep deprivation in women has also be found to be associated with altered gonadotropin and sex steroid secretion which all together lead to female infertility. Poor quality of sleep is observed in middle-aged and older men and this also contributes to reduced testosterone concentrations. The influence of sleep disturbances post-menopausal is associated with irregular synthesis and secretion of female sex steroid hormones.

Sleep duration and quality in relation to semen quality in healthy men screened as potential sperm donors

BACKGROUND

Short sleep duration and poor sleep quality are increasingly prevalent in modern society and may be associated with impaired semen quality, yet studies are inconclusive.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the reproducibility of semen quality parameters among 842 healthy men screened as potential sperm donors and explore the associations of sleep duration and quality with repeated measures of semen quality parameters.

METHODS

We assessed sleep duration (night sleep and daytime napping) and sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) among 842 healthy men screen as potential sperm donors. We examined sleep characteristics in relation to repeated measurements (n = 5601) of semen parameters using linear mixed-effects models.

RESULTS

High degrees of within-individual variability were found for total and progressive sperm motility with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.20 and 0.22, respectively; while fair-to-good reproducibilities were observed for sperm volume, concentration, and total count (ICC = 0.54, 0.62, and 0.50, respectively). Compared to men with total sleep duration of 8.0-8.5 h/day (h/d), men who slept less than 6.0 h/d and higher than 9.0 h/d had lower sperm volume of 12% [95% confidence interval (CI): -22%, -0.68%] and 3.9% (95% CI: -7.3%, -0.44%), respectively. Compared to men with night sleep duration of 7.5-8.0 h/d, men who slept less than 6.0 h/d had lower total and progressive sperm motility of 4.4% (95 CI:-8.4%, -0.24%) and 5.0% (95% CI: -9.2%, -0.48%), respectively. Compared to men who reported good sleep quality (total PSQI score ≤5.0), those reporting poor sleep quality (total PSQI score >5.0) had lower total sperm count, total motility, and progressive motility of 8.0% (95% CI: -15%, -0.046%), 3.9% (95% CI: -6.2%, -1.5%), and 4.0% (95% CI: -6.5%, -1.4%), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Both long and short sleep duration and poor sleep quality were associated with impaired semen quality parameters. The high within-individual variability of total and progressive sperm motility suggests that a single measurement may result in a moderate degree of classification error.

Attenuation of sleep deprivation dependent deterioration in male fertility parameters by vitamin C

PURPOSE

Male fertility is multifaceted and its integrity is as well multifactorial. Normal spermatogenesis is dependent on competent testicular function; namely normal anatomy, histology, physiology and hormonal regulation. Lifestyle stressors, including sleep interruption and even deprivation, have been shown to seriously impact male fertility. We studied here both the effects and the possible underlying mechanisms of vitamin C on male fertility in sleep deprived rats.

METHODS

Thirty male Wistar albino rats were used in the present study. Rats were divided (10/group) into: control (remained in their cages with free access to food and water), sleep deprivation (SD) group (subjected to paradoxical sleep deprivation for 5 consequent days, rats received intra-peritoneal injections of vehicle daily throughout the sleep deprivation), and sleep deprivation vitamin C-treated (SDC) group (subjected to sleep deprivation for 5 consequent days with concomitant intra-peritoneal injections of 100 mg/kg/day vitamin C). Sperm analysis, hormonal assay, and measurement of serum oxidative stress and inflammatory markers were performed. Testicular gene expression of Nrf2 and NF-κβ was assessed. Structural changes were evaluated by testicular histopathology, while PCNA immunostaining was conducted to assess spermatogenesis.

RESULTS

Sleep deprivation had significantly altered sperm motility, viability, morphology and count. Serum levels of cortisol, corticosterone, IL-6, IL-17, MDA were increased, while testosterone and TAC levels were decreased. Testicular gene expression of Nrf2 was decreased, while NF-κβ was increased. Sleep deprivation caused structural changes in the testes, and PCNA immunostaining showed defective spermatogenesis. Administration of vitamin C significantly countered sleep deprivation induced deterioration in male fertility parameters.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with vitamin C enhanced booth testicular structure and function in sleep deprived rats. Vitamin C could be a potential fertility enhancer against lifestyle stressors.

Association Between Sleep Quality and Semen Parameters and Reproductive Hormones: A Cross-Sectional Study in Zhejiang, China

BACKGROUND

The effects of sleep duration on semen quality have been documented in many epidemiological studies. However, the association between sleep quality and semen parameters and reproductive hormones is still unclear.

PATIENTS ENROLLMENT AND METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study among 970 outpatients from the Reproductive Medicine Center in Zhejiang, China between October 2017 and July 2019. All participants delivered a semen sample, underwent a physical examination, and answered a questionnaire to provide the following information: demographics, life habits, and sleep habits. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). We first divided the patients into two groups according to sleep quality (good sleep: PQSI < 5 and poor sleep: PSQI ≥ 5). Then, we analyzed routine sperm parameters (semen volume, sperm total motility, progressive motility, sperm concentration, total sperm number, and normal sperm morphology) and reproductive hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estrogen, testosterone, and prolactin) of each group. Finally, we used multivariate linear regression analysis and Spearman correlation coefficients to examine the relationship between sleep quality (discrete variable or dichotomous variable) and sperm parameters, reproductive hormones.

RESULTS

A negative correlation was found between the general PSQI scores and several semen parameters: total motility (r= -0.187979, p< 0.001), progressive motility (r= -0.192902, p< 0.001), concentration (r= -0.167063, p< 0.001), total sperm number (r= -0.160008, p< 0.001), and normal sperm morphology (r= -0.124511, p< 0.001). However, there was no significant correlation between the semen volume, all reproductive hormones and the general PSQI scores. After adjusting for confounders, men with poor sleep had lower total motility (β= -9.287; 95% CI, -12.050, -6.523), progressive motility (β= -8.853; 95% CI, -11.526, -6.180), concentration (log scale, β= -0.131; 95% CI, -0.181, -0.082), total sperm number (log scale, β= -0.137; 95% CI, -0.189, -0.084), and normal sperm morphology (β= -1.195; 95% CI, -1.844, -0.547), but semen volume and all reproductive hormones were not markedly altered.

CONCLUSION

Poor sleep quality might be related to impaired semen quality, but we found no evidence that poor sleep quality affects reproductive hormones.

Folic Acid Supplementation Suppresses Sleep Deprivation-Induced Telomere Dysfunction and Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP)

Sleep deprivation is reported to cause oxidative stress and is hypothesized to induce subsequent aging-related diseases including chronic inflammation, Alzheimer's disease, and cardiovascular disease. However, how sleep deprivation contributes to the pathogenesis of sleep deficiency disorder remains incompletely defined. Accordingly, more effective treatment methods for sleep deficiency disorder are needed. Thus, to better understand the detailed mechanism of sleep deficiency disorder, a sleep deprivation mouse model was established by the multiple platform method in our study. The accumulation of free radicals and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) was observed in the sleep-deprived mice. Moreover, our mouse and human population-based study both demonstrated that telomere shortening and the formation of telomere-specific DNA damage are dramatically increased in individuals suffering from sleeplessness. To our surprise, the secretion of senescence-associated cytokines and telomere damage are greatly improved by folic acid supplementation in mice. Individuals with high serum baseline folic acid levels have increased resistance to telomere shortening, which is induced by insomnia. Thus, we conclude that folic acid supplementation could be used to effectively counteract sleep deprivation-induced telomere dysfunction and the associated aging phenotype, which may potentially improve the prognosis of sleeplessness disorder patients.

Sympathetic neural responsiveness to sleep deprivation in older adults: sex differences

Our laboratory has previously reported that total sleep deprivation (TSD) modifies muscle sympathetic neural activity (MSNA) differently in young men and women. Because postmenopausal women are among the highest risk for hypertension, this study compares MSNA responses with TSD in older men and women. We hypothesized that TSD would alter MSNA in older adults, with greater sympathoexcitation in postmenopausal women. Twenty-seven participants (14 men and 13 women) between the ages of 55 and 75 yr were tested twice, once after 24-h TSD and once after normal sleep (randomized, crossover design). Our primary outcome measure of MSNA (microneurography) was successful across both conditions in 20 participants (10 men and 10 women). Secondary outcome measures included seated blood pressure, heart rate, and fasting plasma testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone. Age (60 ± 1 vs. 61 ± 2 yr) and BMI (27 ± 1 vs. 26 ± 1 kg/m2) were not different between groups. TSD increased systolic blood pressure in both men (124 ± 5 to 130 ± 4 mmHg) and women (107 ± 5 to 116 ± 4 mmHg), but the increases were not different between groups (condition, P = 0.014; condition × sex, P > 0.05). In contrast, TSD elicited divergent MSNA responses in older men and women. Specifically, MSNA burst frequency increased in postmenopausal women (28 ± 3 to 34 ± 3 burst/min), but not older men (38 ± 3 to 35 ± 3 bursts/min; condition × sex, P = 0.032). In conclusion, TSD elicited sympathoexcitation in postmenopausal women but not age-matched men. These findings provide new mechanistic insight into reported links between sleep deprivation and hypertension.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Epidemiological studies report that sleep deprivation is more strongly associated with hypertension in women than in men. In the present study, 24-h total sleep deprivation (TSD) increased blood pressure in postmenopausal women and age-matched men. In contrast, only women demonstrated increases in muscle sympathetic nerve activity after TSD. The sympathoexcitation observed in postmenopausal women suggests a potential contributing mechanism for epidemiological observations and advances our understanding of the complex relations between sleep, sex, and hypertension.

Retinoic acid: A potential therapeutic agent for cryptorchidism infertility based on investigation of flutamide-induced cryptorchid rats in vivo and in vitro

Cryptorchidism is a common disorder in children and may cause infertility in adults. The BTB is essential for maintaining the microenvironment necessary for normal spermatogenesis. This study investigated whether retinoic acid (RA) may regulate the proteins that are essential for integrity of the BTB in cryptorchidism. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were administrated flutamide during late pregnancy to induce a model of cryptorchidism in male offspring. The concentrations of RA and BTB tight and gap junction protein levels were significantly lower in untreated cryptorchid pups compared with normal pups, but almost normal in cryptorchid pups given RA. Studies in vitro corroborated these findings. The sperm quality of RA-treated model pups was better compared with the untreated model. RA treatment may have therapeutic potential to restore retinoic acid and proteins associated with integrity of the BTB in cryptorchid testis.

Effect of sleep deprivation on hearing levels in rats

OBJECTIVES

To our knowledge, the influence of sleep deprivation on hearing levels has yet to be assessed in animals. Therefore, we evaluated whether auditory function was affected by sleep deprivation in rats.

METHODS

Male Wistar rats (aged 9 weeks, weighing 300-400 g) were used for the study and were randomly assigned to a control (n = 15) or sleep deprivation group (n = 12). Hearing levels were evaluated at baseline and 9 days after sleep deprivation using auditory evoked brainstem responses (ABRs) and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) measurements. Blood was collected for the measurement of interleukin-1β and corticosterone levels.

RESULTS

The ABR thresholds (at 8, 16, and 32 kHz) at 9 days were significantly elevated in the sleep deprivation group compared to the control group (p < 0.05, respectively). The sleep deprivation group showed a defect in the function of outer hair cells, as evidenced by decreased levels of distortion product otoacoustic emission. IL-1β was significantly increased in the sleep deprivation group. Sleep-deprived rats exhibited rupture of Reissner's membrane and morphological damage to stereocilia.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that sleep deprivation induces damage to the cochlea and results in hearing loss in Wistar rats.

Linking sleep disturbance to idiopathic male infertility

Recently published data suggests that male fertility has declined over the past four decades. The reasons for the decline are unclear with up to 50% of cases of male infertility remaining unexplained (idiopathic male infertility). Whilst environmental factors and rising rates of obesity have been implicated, there is now growing evidence that sleep disturbance may be an independent causative factor. Indeed, the prevalence of sleep disturbance appears to be increasing in parallel with deterioration in population sperm quality, a commonly used surrogate marker of male fertility. Although there is some understanding of the relationship between sleep, gonadal hormone secretion and sexual function, it remains to be seen whether sleep disturbance is implicated in idiopathic male infertility. This review will detail the current evidence supporting a link between sleep disturbance and male infertility. Potential mechanistic pathways will be proposed and evidence supporting these pathways will be discussed. Further research is needed in clarifying links between sleep disturbance and idiopathic male infertility. At present the only available treatment option for men with idiopathic infertility is assisted reproductive technology. Demonstration of a causative link between sleep disturbance and idiopathic male infertility may in the future lead to additional treatment options in selected cases.

Predictors of Infertility Stress among Couples Diagnosed in a Public Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology

Background:

All around the world, infertility, in many ways, is recognized as a stressful and a critical experience that can have impact on social and marital life of a couple. Infertility stress may affect the treatment and its outcome for such couples. The objective of the present study is to assess the predictors of high stress of infertility among married couples.

Materials and Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 couples (240 patients) who were diagnosed with primary and secondary infertility from June 2017 to June 2018. A psychological self-assessment questionnaire (Perceived Stress Scale-10) was used as a tool to evaluate the presence of high infertility stress among couples after obtaining their consent. Furthermore, other socioepidemiological data of patients were collected.

Statistical Analysis:

Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 20). Univariate statistical analysis was used followed by multiple logistic regressions between high infertility stress and the predictor variables.

Results and Discussion:

The prevalence of high infertility stress was 53.3% among women and 40.8% among men. For women, multivariate analysis showed leading associations of high infertility stress with level of education, infertility type, infertility duration, and etiologies of infertility. However, for men, multivariate analysis showed leading associations between high infertility stress and alcohol status and inadequate sleep and infertility type.

Associations Between Sleep Deprivation and Salivary Testosterone Levels in Male University Students: A Prospective Cohort Study

Sleep deprivation is a common health problem that is growing rapidly worldwide and it is associated with short- and long-term impacts on health. The aim of this study was to detect potential predictors of salivary testosterone (sT) association with sleep deprivation in Arab male university students. In this prospective cohort study, 77 university male students in the age range of 18 to 26 years were divided into two groups, sleep-deprived (SD) participants and non-sleep-deprived (NSD) participants. Sleep deprivation was defined as sleeping less than 5 hr per night. Blood samples and sT were collected from fasting participants to measure serum levels of glucose, lipid profile, leptin, serotonin, sT, and body mass index (BMI) values. The multiple linear correlation model of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), BMI, and serotonin was positively correlated with sT (r = .977, p < .05) in the SD group. No correlations were identified with sT in the NSD group. In the SD study group, the multiple linear regression model of HDL-C, BMI, and serotonin was significantly influenced by sT (R² = .955, p < .05). These predictors together explained approximately 96% of the variance in sT levels in the SD study group. No predictive variables for sT were reported in the NSD group. Results indirectly confirmed the presence of a positive association between sT and sleep deprivation in young men. This association is mediated by three factors, HDL-C, BMI, and serum serotonin, which are collectively considered as part of a significant physiological adaptation to sleep deprivation in young men.

Sleep duration is associated with sperm chromatin integrity among young men in Chongqing, China

This study explores whether sleep duration is associated with sperm chromatin integrity. To do so, we conducted a three-phase panel study of 796 male volunteers from colleges in Chongqing (China) from 2013 to 2015. Sleep duration was measured using a modified Munich Chronotype Questionnaire. Sperm DNA integrity was examined via Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay and Comet assay. Setting 7-7.5 h day^-1 of sleep duration as a reference, either longer or shorter sleep duration was associated negatively with high DNA stainability (HDS) (P = 0.009), which reflected the immaturity of sperm chromatin. The volunteers with > 9.0 h day^-1 sleep and those with ≤ 6.5 h day^-1 sleep had 40.7 and 30.3% lower HDS than did volunteers with 7-7.5 h day^-1 sleep. No association was found between sleep duration and DNA fragmentation index or Comet assay parameters. This study suggests that sleep duration is associated with sperm chromatin integrity. Further studies are required to validate these findings and investigate the mechanism underlying this association.

Sleep disturbances and semen quality in an Italian cross sectional study

Introduction

In order to obtain information about the relationship between sleep disturbances and sperm parameters, we analyzed data from a study conducted in a Italian Fertility Clinic, in men of couples seeking help for infertility.

Patients and methods

Male partners with or without a medical history of reproductive organ diseases (cryptorchidism, varicocele, orchitis, testicular torsion) were eligible for the study. There were 382 men evaluated from May 2014 to November 2016, all of whom completed a self-administered questionnaire on general lifestyle habits. Then all men underwent semen analysis. A total of 382 men aged 26 to 67 years (median age 39 year interquartile range 37–42) were recruited.

Main results

A total of 46.3% reported having sleep disturbances. In multivariate analysis, in absence of reproductive organ diseases, semen volume was lower in patients with difficulty in initiating sleep (2.0 ml, IQR 1.5–3.0 vs 3.0 ml, IQR 2.0–3.3, p = .01), whereas in presence of reproductive organ diseases motility A was lower in patients with early morning awakening (25.0%, IQR 15.0–35.0 vs. 40.0%, IQR 30.0–50.0, p = .001). In overweight men, semen volume was lower in patients with difficulty in initiating sleep (2.0 ml, IQR 1.5–3.0 vs 3.0 ml, IQR 2.0–3.0, p = .03). Moreover, among current smokers, patients with difficulty in initiating sleep had semen volume lower (1.5 ml, IQR 1.5–2.5 vs 3.0 ml, IQR 2.0–3.5, p = .0003) and sperm concentration higher (40 millions/ml, IQR 15–60 vs 10 millions/ml, IQR 5–50 p = .03) but total sperm count was not significant different.

Conclusion

Further studies are necessary to elucidate the relationship between sleep quality and semen parameters, which may have important public health implication.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12610-017-0060-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Serum and Brain Metabolomic Variations Reveal Perturbation of Sleep Deprivation on Rats and Ameliorate Effect of Total Ginsenoside Treatment

Sleep loss or sleep deprivation (SD) refers to shorter sleep than average baseline need, and SD has been a serious problem of modern societies which affects health and well-being. Panax ginseng is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Our previous study has demonstrated that total ginsenosides (GS), the extracts from Panax ginseng, could effectively improve cognition and behavior on SD rats. However, little is known about its metabolomic study. In this study, serum and brain metabolomic method based on gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was employed to evaluate the efficacy and study the mechanism of GS on a rat model of SD. With pattern recognition analysis of serum and brain tissue metabolite profile, a clear separation of the model group and control group was acquired for serum and brain tissue samples; the MGS (model + GS) group showed a tendency of recovering when compared to control group, which was consistent with behavioral and biochemical parameters. 39 and 40 potential biomarkers of brain tissues and serum samples, respectively, were identified and employed to explore the possible mechanism. Our work revealed that GS has significant protective effects on SD, and metabolomics is a useful tool for evaluating efficacy and elucidating mechanism in TCM.

Lithium ameliorates sleep deprivation-induced mania-like behavior, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis alterations, oxidative stress and elevations of cytokine concentrations in the brain and serum of mice

OBJECTIVES

The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of lithium administration on behavior, oxidative stress parameters and cytokine levels in the periphery and brain of mice subjected to an animal model of mania induced by paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD).

METHODS

Male C57 mice were treated with saline or lithium for 7 days. The sleep deprivation protocol started on the 5th day during for the last 36 hours of the treatment period. Immediately after the sleep deprivation protocol, animals locomotor activity was evaluated and serum and brain samples was extracted to evaluation of corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone circulating levels, oxidative stress parameters and citokynes levels.

RESULTS

The results showed that PSD induced hyperactivity in mice, which is considered a mania-like behavior. PSD increased lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage to DNA, as well as causing alterations to antioxidant enzymes in the frontal cortex, hippocampus and serum of mice. In addition, PSD increased the levels of cytokines in the brains of mice. Treatment with lithium prevented the mania-like behavior, oxidative damage and cytokine alterations induced by PSD.

CONCLUSIONS

Improving our understanding of oxidative damage in biomolecules, antioxidant mechanisms and the inflammatory system - alterations presented in the animal models of mania - is important in helping us to improve our knowledge concerning the pathophysiology of BD, and the mechanisms of action employed by mood stabilizers.