Sleep Deprivation Device

Sleep deprivation (SD) impairs spatial, emotional, and working memories, and augments anxiety-like behaviors. The Sleep Deprivation Device is an automated chamber that can be used for sleep deprivation and sleep fragmentation studies in rodents, provides movement at programmed intervals to prevent REM sleep. It gently and safely keeps rodents awake by using the rotating bar to touch the animals.

Overview

The sleep deprivation device consists of a clear acrylic chamber atop a motor and screen to set time and rotations of a bar inside the chamber to prevent the rodent from sleeping in a safe way. Food and water apparatuses are available to allow long-term experimentation. Our device equips with a circadian rhythm light control system, and it can be used for optogenetic experiments and calcium ion imaging experiments.

Application

• Circadian Rhythm Research: Study phase shifts, sleep-wake cycles, jet lag models
• Sleep Disorders Modeling: Investigate insomnia, REM behavior disorder, narcolepsy
• Metabolic Studies: Explore connections between sleep and obesity, glucose tolerance, insulin resistance
• Neurological & Psychological Research: Assess sleep’s role in depression, anxiety, memory loss, PTSD, and cognitive decline
• Pharmacology & Drug Screening: Evaluate sedatives, stimulants, and cognitive enhancers under sleep-deprived conditions

Features

• Programmable Rotating Bar System
  Adjustable speed (1–20 cm/s), direction (CW/CCW/random), and pause intervals (0–240s).
• External trigger interface to be suitable for Optogenetic, Calcium ion imaging and EEG.
• Scheduled automatic Start/Stop
  With circadian rhythm light control, achieve better sleep deprivation effects.
• AI-Integrated Interface
  Real-time control and automatic recording; user-friendly 5” touchscreen
• Intelligent detect the sleep state
  Equips with the camera to detect the animal is asleep or not and automatically initiates sleep deprivation operation (Intelligence version).
• Dual Use for Sleep Deprivation & Sleep Fragmentation
  Supports various experimental protocols (total deprivation, REM-specific, intermittent).
• Ultra-Quiet Operation
  Noise level <30 dB to ensure minimal stress.
• Housing Chamber
  Modular design supports 8–12 mice or 4–6 rats; food & water access included.

Advantages

• Fully Automated Protocols–Eliminate operator error and manual handling
• Low Stress to Subjects–Gentle nudging instead of forced locomotion
• Compatible with High-Level Analysis Tools–EEG/EMG, optogenetics, fiber photometry
• Supports Long-Term Studies–Food, water supplied in the unit
• Wide Application Versatility–Suitable for behavioral, metabolic, and pharmacological research

Reference

Caffeine-Induced Sleep Restriction Alters the Gut Microbiome and Fecal Metabolic Profiles in Mice

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/23/14837 

Sustained microglial activation and accelerated elimination of dendriticspines during acute sleep deprivation and restoration 

The Innovation 

https://www.the-innovation.org/data/article/life/preview/pdf/XINNLIFE-2023-0048.pdf 

Disrupting circadian control of autophagy induces podocyte injury and proteinuria

Kidney International

Involvement of circadian clock protein PER2 in controlling sleep deprivation induced HMGB1 up-regulation by targeting p300 in the cortex

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-96931-6