Effects of chronic treatment with methadone and naltrexone on sleep in addicts.
Previous studies have described sleep disturbance secondary to chronic opiate use and abuse. Drug-dependency insomnia is of interest because chronic sleep disturbances can promote depressive symptoms which could lead to a drug relapse. For the first time we compared the polysomnographic parameters of 10 methadone-substituted outpatients and 10 naltrexone-treated outpatients. Methadone (mu-opioid agonist) produced a marked fragmentation of the sleep architecture with frequent awakenings and a decrease in EEG arousals. In comparison with methadone and controls, the naltrexone (mu-opioid antagonist) group showed the shortest sleep latency and the longest total sleep time. These data indicate that mu-agonists and mu-antagonists have different effects on sleep. The implications, especially the involvement of opioid-dopamine interactions on sleep and movements during sleep, are discussed.
Department of Psychiatry, Georg August University, Göttingen, Germany.
J
J
Staedt
F
F
Wassmuth
G
G
Stoppe
G
G
Hajak
A
A
Rodenbeck
W
W
Poser
E
E
Rüther
D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D003932:Heroin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009271:Naltrexone; D003932:Heroin; D008691:Methadone