Abstract
One group of eight normal young males was administered three doses of alprazolam (0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg) and placebo, while a second group of eight normal young males was given three doses of diazepam (2, 5, and 10 mg) and placebo in the same design. All subjects slept in the sleep laboratory for 10 nights, 2 consecutive nights each week for 5 consecutive weeks. The first 2 nights served as adaptation. During the next 4 weeks subjects received a random dose of alprazolam (or placebo) or a random dose of diazepam (or placebo) each week. Similar dose-related benzodiazepine effects were found on sleep with both medications. Alprazolam reduced percent stage 4 and REM sleep and increased stage 2 sleep and latency to REM. Diazepam decreased percent stage 1 and increased percent stage 2 sleep. No drug by dose interactions were found. It was concluded that, while both drugs had similar effects on sleep, alprazolam showed significant effects on REM sleep parameters and might be evaluated for possible antidepressant effect.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Borenstein P, Cujo P (1974) Influence of barbiturates and benzodiazepines on the sleep EEG. In: Itil TM (ed) Psychotropic drugs and the human EEG. Modern Problems of Pharmacopsychiatry, vol 8. Karger, Basel, pp 182–192
Itil TM, Saletu B, Marasa J (1972a) Digital computer analyzed sleep electroencephalogram (sleep prints) in predicting anxiolytic properties of clorazepate dipotassium (tranxene). Curr Ther Res 14:415–427
Itil TM, Saletu B, Marasa J, Mucciardi AN (1972b) Digital computer analyzed awake and sleep EEG (sleep prints) in predicting the effects of a triazolobenzodiazepine (U-31,889). Pharmakopsychiatric Neuropsychopharmakol 5:225–240
Kales A, Scharf MB (1973) Sleep laboratory and clinical studies of the effects of benzodiazepines on sleep: flurazepam, diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, and R05-4200. In: Garattini S, Mussini E, Randall LO (eds) The benzodiazepines. Raven, New York, pp 577–598
Kay DC, Blackburn AB, Buckingham JA, Karacan I (1976) Human pharmacology of sleep. In: Williams RL, Karacan I (eds) Pharmacology of sleep. John Wiley & Sons, New York, pp 83–210
Kupfer DJ, Foster FG (1978) EEG sleep and depression. In: Williams RL, Karacan I (eds) Sleep disorders diagnosis and treatment. John Wiley & Sons, New York, pp 163–204
Nicholson AN, Stone BM, Clarke CH (1976) Effect of diazepam and fosazepam (a soluble derivative of diazepam) on sleep in man. Br J Clin Pharmacol 3:533–541
Rechtschaffen A, Kales A (1968) A manual of standardized terminology, techniques, and scoring system for sleep stages of human subjects. US Dept. HEW. Public Health Service. NIH Publication No 204. National Institute of Neurological Disease and Blindness, Neurological Information Network. Bethesda, MD, USA
Rudzik AD, Linet OI, Tang AH, Jones PM (1979) Clinical, pharmacological, and toxicological studies on alprazolam. Upjohn Technical Report
Vogel GW (1975) A review of REM sleep deprivation. Arch Gen Psychiatry 32:749–761
Vogel GW, Vogel F, McAbee RS, Thurmond AJ (1980) Improvement of depression by REM sleep deprivation. Arch Gen Psychiatry 37:247–253
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by the Upjohn Company
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bonnet, M.H., Kramer, M. & Roth, T. A dose response study of the hypnotic effectiveness of alprazolam and diazepam in normal subjects. Psychopharmacology 75, 258–261 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432435
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432435