Effects of acute and chronic treatment with trazodone, an antidepressant, on the sleep-wake activity in rats.
Rats were treated with trazodone (2.5 or 10 mg kg-1) twice a day (at light and dark onset) for 11 days, after chronic injection of physiological saline. The sleep-wake activity was recorded for 24 h on the baseline day (saline), on trazodone days 1, 5 and 11, and also on day 12, when physiological saline was injected again (withdrawal day). Trazodone administration increased non-REM sleep. The enhancement of non-REM sleep was dose-related and more pronounced during the dark cycle. The promotion of non-REM sleep was enhanced during the chronic treatment. There were no consistent changes in REM sleep. Spectral analysis of the EEG revealed an increase in slow-wave activity after administration of the high dose (10 mg kg-1) of the drug. It is concluded that trazodone, a clinically effective antidepressant, has a non-REM sleep-promoting effect. It is speculated that the promotion of sleep by trazodone may be mediated by serotonergic mechanisms.
Lelkes
Z
Z
Department of Physiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical University, Szeged, Hungary.
Obál
F
F
Alföldi
P
P
Erdös
A
A
Rubicsek
G
G
Benedek
G
G
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014196:Trazodone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects*
D014196:Trazodone