title: Effect of ritanserin on sleep stages and sleep EEG in the rat.
abstract: Ritanserin (1.0 and 2.5 mg/kg i.p.) was administered to rats before the start, of the light period, and sleep was recorded during the subsequent 12 h. The higher dose reduced sleep in the first 3 h. Both doses caused a more prolonged suppression of REM sleep. Spectral analysis of the EEG in non-REM sleep showed an increase of power density in the low frequency range (1.5-6 Hz) and a depression in the high frequency range (8-25 Hz). Since these changes differ from those previously observed after sleep deprivation, it is premature to conclude that the drug induces a physiological sleep intensification.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, University of Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Borbély
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trachsel
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tobler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004569:Electroencephalography; D008297:Male; D010880:Piperidines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D016713:Ritanserin; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D010880:Piperidines; D016713:Ritanserin