Slow wave sleep enhancement with gaboxadol reduces daytime sleepiness during sleep restriction.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of enhanced slow wave sleep (SWS) on behavioral, psychological, and physiological changes resulting from sleep restriction.


METHODS
A double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled design was used to compare gaboxadol (GBX) 15 mg, a SWS-enhancing drug, to placebo during 4 nights of sleep restriction (5 h/night). Behavioral, psychological, and physiological measures of the impact of sleep restriction were assessed in both groups at baseline, during sleep restriction and following recovery sleep.


METHODS
Sleep research laboratory.


METHODS
Forty-one healthy adults; 9 males and 12 females (mean age: 32.0 +/- 9.9 y) in the placebo group and 10 males and 10 females (mean age: 31.9 +/- 10.2 y) in the GBX group.


METHODS
Both experimental groups underwent 4 nights of sleep restriction. Each group received either GBX 15 mg or placebo on all sleep restriction nights, and both groups received placebo on baseline and recovery nights.


RESULTS
Polysomnography documented a SWS-enhancing effect of GBX with no group difference in total sleep time during sleep restriction. The placebo group displayed the predicted deficits due to sleep restriction on the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) and on introspective measures of sleepiness and fatigue. Compared to placebo, the GBX group showed significantly less physiological sleepiness on the MSLT and lower levels of introspective sleepiness and fatigue during sleep restriction. There were no differences between groups on the psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and a cognitive test battery, but these measures were minimally affected by sleep restriction in this study. The correlation between change from baseline in MSLT on Day 6 and change from baseline in SWS on Night 6 was significant in the GBX group and in both group combined.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study are consistent with the hypothesis that enhanced SWS, in this study produced by GBX, reduces physiological sleep tendency and introspective sleepiness and fatigue which typically result from sleep restriction.
Sleep Medicine & Research Center, St. John's Mercy Medical Center/St. Luke's Hospital, St. Louis, MO, USA. walsjk@stlo.smhs.com
James K
JK
Walsh
Ellen
E
Snyder
Janine
J
Hall
Angela C
AC
Randazzo
Kara
K
Griffin
John
J
Groeger
Rhody
R
Eisenstein
Stephen D
SD
Feren
Pam
P
Dickey
Paula K
PK
Schweitzer
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005221:Fatigue / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000187:drug effects; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
D018755:GABA Agonists; D007555:Isoxazoles; C015542:gaboxadol; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine