title: Differentiating the effects of three benzodiazepines on non-REM sleep EEG spectra. A neural-network pattern classification analysis.
abstract: Neural-network pattern classifiers were used to study the effects of long half-life flurazepam (30 mg) and quazepam (15 mg), and short half-life triazolam (0.5 mg) on non-REM sleep. We measured the magnitude of effect, time course, and EEG spectral signature of the three benzodiazepines as a function of third-of-night. Of the three benzodiazepines studied, flurazepam had the largest effect and quazepam had the most stable time course. The effects of triazolam were similar to those of quazepam. These EEG differences may prove to be more clinically useful markers than the usual measurement of plasma levels, and may be used to guide the therapy of sleep disorders.
authors.affiliation: EEG Systems Laboratory, San Francisco, Calif.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gevins
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Ragsdale
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000145:classification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000494:pharmacology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D005479:Flurazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000187:drug effects*; D009420:Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects*; D014229:Triazolam / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D014229:Triazolam; D005479:Flurazepam; C025130:quazepam