title: Sleep EEG changes after zolpidem in mice.
abstract: Zolpidem is a widely used hypnotic that binds preferentially to alpha1GABAA receptors. We determined the role of these receptors in the effects of zolpidem on sleep in mutant mice carrying zolpidem-insensitive alpha1GABAA receptors and wild-type controls. Sleep was promoted by zolpidem in both genotypes. In wild-type mice non-REM sleep EEG power was markedly reduced in a broad frequency band >5 or 9 Hz after 5 and 10 mg/kg zolpidem, respectively. In mutants a power reduction appeared at the highest dose only, and was restricted to some low frequencies and the 9-10 Hz bin. We conclude that the effects of zolpidem on the sleep EEG in mice are distinct from the changes typically induced by benzodiazepines, and are primarily mediated by alpha1GABAA receptors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kopp
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rudolph
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tobler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000077334:Zolpidem
chemical_list: D011725:Pyridines; D000077334:Zolpidem