title: Increased slow wave sleep with 5-HT2 receptor antagonists: detection by ambulatory EEG recording and automatic sleep stage analysis.
abstract: The effect on slow wave sleep (SWS) of 5-HT antagonists with different affinities for 5-HT(1) and 5-HT(2) receptors was investigated using ambulatory EEG monitoring in normal volunteers. The selective 5-HT( 2) antagonists, ritanserin and cypropheptadine, increased SWS while the non-selective 5-HT antagonist metergoline did not. The histamine H( 1)-receptor antagonist, mepyramine, was similarly without effect on SWS. These findings suggest that home ambulatory monitoring with automatic sleep stage analysis may be useful in detecting the effect of selective 5-HT( 2) receptor antagonists on SWS.
authors.affiliation: MRC Unit of Clinical Pharmacology and University, Department of Psychiatry, Research Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford OX4 4XN, UK.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sharpley
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cowen