Disk-over-water method

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The disk-over-water method is a technique for causing sleep deprivation in laboratory animals.

The subject—for example, a rat [1] or pigeon [2] —is placed on a disk. When the subject shows signs of falling asleep, the disk begins to slowly rotate, at a few revolutions per minute. The subject must walk to keep pace with the disk, or it will be carried into a pool of water. [3]

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References

  1. Rechtschaffen, A.; Bergmann, B.M. (1995), "Sleep deprivation in the rat by the disk-over-water method", Behavioural Brain Research, 69 (1–2): 55–63, doi:10.1016/0166-4328(95)00020-T, PMID   7546318, S2CID   4042505
  2. Newman, S.M.; Paletz, E.M.; Rattenborg, N.C.; Obermeyer, W.H.; Benca, R.M. (2008), "Sleep deprivation in the pigeon using the Disk-Over-Water method", Physiology & Behavior, 93 (1–2): 50–58, doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.07.012, PMID   17765274, S2CID   13105681
  3. Kushida, Clete Anthony (2004), Sleep Deprivation: Basic Science, Physiology, and Behavior, Informa Health Care, p. 90, ISBN   0-8247-5949-4