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Sleep-promoting properties of quetiapine in healthy subjects

Psychopharmacology volume 174, pages 421–429 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of quetiapine, an atypical antipsychotic, on polysomnographic sleep structure and subjective sleep quality. This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over study investigated the polysomnographic sleep structure and subjective sleep quality of 14 healthy male subjects given placebo, quetiapine 25 mg or quetiapine 100 mg. Volunteers were studied 3 times for 3 consecutive nights (N0, adaptation; N1, standard sleep conditions; N2, acoustic stress) 4 days apart. Treatment was administered orally 1 h before bedtime on nights 1 and 2. Quetiapine 25 mg and 100 mg significantly improved sleep induction and continuity under standard and acoustic stress conditions. Increases in total sleep time, sleep efficiency, percentage sleep stage 2 and subjective sleep quality were seen. A significant increase in periodic leg movements during sleep was observed with quetiapine 100 mg. The sleep-improving properties of quetiapine may be important in counteracting different aspects of psychopathology in schizophrenia and other disorders. These sleep-inducing and sleep-modifying properties are probably related to quetiapine’s receptor-binding profile, including its antihistaminergic, antidopaminergic and antiadrenergic properties. Other mechanisms might be relevant as well and further investigation is required.

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Acknowledgement

We thank AstraZeneca, Germany, for funding of the study and supply of quetiapine and placebo.

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  1. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, von-Siebold Strasse 5, D-37075, Göttingen, Germany

    Stefan Cohrs, Andrea Rodenbeck, Zhenghua Guan, Kathrin Pohlmann, Wolfgang Jordan, Andreas Meier & Eckart Rüther

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  1. Stefan Cohrs
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  2. Andrea Rodenbeck
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  3. Zhenghua Guan
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  4. Kathrin Pohlmann
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Correspondence to Stefan Cohrs.

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Cohrs, S., Rodenbeck, A., Guan, Z. et al. Sleep-promoting properties of quetiapine in healthy subjects. Psychopharmacology 174, 421–429 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1759-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1759-5

Keywords

  • Quetiapine
  • Antipsychotic
  • Sleep
  • Polysomnography
  • EEG