Disturbance of sleep homeostasis encompasses health issues, including metabolic disorders like obesity, diabetes, and augmented stress vulnerability. Sleep and stress interact bidirectionally to influence the central nervous system and metabolism. Murine models demonstrate that decreased sleep time is associated with an increased systemic stress response, characterized by endocrinal imbalance, including the elevated activity of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, augmented insulin, and reduced adiponectin, affecting peripheral organs physiology, mainly the white adipose tissue (WAT). Within peripheral organs, a local stress response can also be activated by promoting the formation of corticosterone. This local amplifying glucocorticoid signaling is favored through the activation of the enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1). In WAT, 11β-HSD1 activity is upregulated by the sympathetic nervous system, suggesting a link between sleep loss, augmented stress response, and a potential WAT metabolic disturbance. To gain more understanding about this relationship, metabolic and stress responses of WAT-sympathectomized rats were analyzed to identify the contribution of the autonomic nervous system to stress response-related metabolic disorders during chronic sleep restriction. Male Wistar rats under sleep restriction were allowed just 6 h of daily sleep over eight weeks. Results showed that rats under sleep restriction presented higher serum corticosterone, increased adipose tissue 11β-HSD1 activity, weight loss, decreased visceral fat, augmented adiponectin, lower leptin levels, glucose tolerance impairment, and mildly decreased daily body temperature. In contrast, sympathectomized rats under sleep restriction exhibited decreased stress response (lower serum corticosterone and 11β-HSD1 activity). In addition, they maintained weight loss, explained by a reduced visceral fat pad, leptin, and adiponectin, improved glucose management, and persisting decline in body temperature. These results suggest autonomic nervous system is partially responsible for the WAT-exacerbated stress response and its metabolic and physiological disturbances.
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