Arch Ital Biol
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1. Electrophysiological and behavioural observations have shown that changes in the sleep-waking activity occur in astronauts during the space flight. Experiments performed in ground-based experiments have previously shown that the immediate early gene (IEG) c-fos, a marker of neuronal activation, can be used as a molecular correlate of sleep and waking. ⋯ These structures are known to contribute to the PGO waves, which drive the oculomotor system either directly or through the medial vestibular nuclei (128, cf. also 126). Unfortunately due to our brainstem transections we were unable to evaluate the changes in gene expression which could affect the dorsolateral pontine structures during the occurrence of REMS episodes. Further experiments are thus required to investigate the role that these pontine structures exert in determining adaptive changes following exposure to microgravity after launch as well as readaptation to the terrestrial environment after landing.