Slow wave sleep and 5-HT2 receptor sensitivity during maintenance tricyclic antidepressant treatment.
The 5-HT2 receptor antagonist cyproheptadine significantly increased slow wave sleep in 12 healthy control subjects but not in 12 patients with a history of major depression, maintained on tricyclic antidepressant treatment. Cyproheptadine produced a similar reduction in REM sleep in both groups of subjects. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that tricyclic antidepressant treatment alters brain 5-HT2 receptor sensitivity, but a primary abnormality in slow wave sleep regulation in depressed patients cannot be excluded.
Sharpley
A L
AL
MRC Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford, U.K.
Gregory
C A
CA
Solomon
R A
RA
Cowen
P J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D003533:Cyproheptadine; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004308:Dothiepin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects*; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000187:drug effects
D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D000639:Amitriptyline; D003533:Cyproheptadine; D004308:Dothiepin