AGE-DEPENDENT STRUCTURAL AND INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES OF THE CECUM TO SLEEP DEPRIVATION AND THEIR PHYTOCORRECTION

Abstract

Sleep deprivation is increasingly regarded as an important systemic stress factor that can affect not only the nervous system but also the structure and function of peripheral organs. The gastrointestinal tract is particularly sensitive to disturbances in neuroendocrine and immune regulation because intestinal tissues are continuously exposed to systemic stress mediators and contain extensive components of the local immune system. Although the relationship between sleep disturbances and gastrointestinal function has received increasing attention, age-related changes in the response of the large intestine, especially the cecum, to prolonged sleep deprivation remain insufficiently studied.