Abstract
Trazodone is prescribed widely as a sleep aid, although it is indicated for depression, not insomnia. Its daytime cognitive and psychomotor effects have not been investigated systematically in insomniacs. The primary goal of this study was to quantify, in primary insomniacs, the hypnotic efficacy of trazodone and subsequent daytime impairments. Sixteen primary insomniacs (mean age 44years) participated, with insomnia confirmed by overnight polysomnography (sleep efficiency≤85%). Trazodone 50mg was administered to participants 30min before bedtime for 7days in a 3-week, within-subjects, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design. Subjective effects, equilibrium (anterior/posterior body sway), short-term memory, verbal learning, simulated driving and muscle endurance were assessed the morning after days 1 and 7 of drug administration. Sleep was evaluated with overnight polysomnography and modified Multiple Sleep Latency Tests (MSLT) on days 1 and 7. Trazodone produced small but significant impairments of short-term memory, verbal learning, equilibrium and arm muscle endurance across time-points. Relative to placebo across test days, trazodone was associated with fewer night-time awakenings, minutes of Stage 1 sleep and self-reports of difficulty sleeping. On day 7 only, slow wave sleep was greater and objective measures of daytime sleepiness lower with trazodone than with placebo. Although trazodone is efficacious for sleep maintenance difficulties, its associated cognitive and motor impairments may provide a modest caveat to health-care providers.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 552-558 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Sleep Research |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2011 |
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Keywords
- Insomnia
- Posturography
- Short-term memory
- Trazodone
- Verbal learning
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Cite this
Cognitive, psychomotor and polysomnographic effects of trazodone in primary insomniacs. / Roth, Alicia J.; McCall, William Vaughn; Liguori, Anthony.
In: Journal of Sleep Research, Vol. 20, No. 4, 01.12.2011, p. 552-558.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Cognitive, psychomotor and polysomnographic effects of trazodone in primary insomniacs
AU - Roth, Alicia J.
AU - McCall, William Vaughn
AU - Liguori, Anthony
PY - 2011/12/1
Y1 - 2011/12/1
N2 - Trazodone is prescribed widely as a sleep aid, although it is indicated for depression, not insomnia. Its daytime cognitive and psychomotor effects have not been investigated systematically in insomniacs. The primary goal of this study was to quantify, in primary insomniacs, the hypnotic efficacy of trazodone and subsequent daytime impairments. Sixteen primary insomniacs (mean age 44years) participated, with insomnia confirmed by overnight polysomnography (sleep efficiency≤85%). Trazodone 50mg was administered to participants 30min before bedtime for 7days in a 3-week, within-subjects, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design. Subjective effects, equilibrium (anterior/posterior body sway), short-term memory, verbal learning, simulated driving and muscle endurance were assessed the morning after days 1 and 7 of drug administration. Sleep was evaluated with overnight polysomnography and modified Multiple Sleep Latency Tests (MSLT) on days 1 and 7. Trazodone produced small but significant impairments of short-term memory, verbal learning, equilibrium and arm muscle endurance across time-points. Relative to placebo across test days, trazodone was associated with fewer night-time awakenings, minutes of Stage 1 sleep and self-reports of difficulty sleeping. On day 7 only, slow wave sleep was greater and objective measures of daytime sleepiness lower with trazodone than with placebo. Although trazodone is efficacious for sleep maintenance difficulties, its associated cognitive and motor impairments may provide a modest caveat to health-care providers.
AB - Trazodone is prescribed widely as a sleep aid, although it is indicated for depression, not insomnia. Its daytime cognitive and psychomotor effects have not been investigated systematically in insomniacs. The primary goal of this study was to quantify, in primary insomniacs, the hypnotic efficacy of trazodone and subsequent daytime impairments. Sixteen primary insomniacs (mean age 44years) participated, with insomnia confirmed by overnight polysomnography (sleep efficiency≤85%). Trazodone 50mg was administered to participants 30min before bedtime for 7days in a 3-week, within-subjects, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design. Subjective effects, equilibrium (anterior/posterior body sway), short-term memory, verbal learning, simulated driving and muscle endurance were assessed the morning after days 1 and 7 of drug administration. Sleep was evaluated with overnight polysomnography and modified Multiple Sleep Latency Tests (MSLT) on days 1 and 7. Trazodone produced small but significant impairments of short-term memory, verbal learning, equilibrium and arm muscle endurance across time-points. Relative to placebo across test days, trazodone was associated with fewer night-time awakenings, minutes of Stage 1 sleep and self-reports of difficulty sleeping. On day 7 only, slow wave sleep was greater and objective measures of daytime sleepiness lower with trazodone than with placebo. Although trazodone is efficacious for sleep maintenance difficulties, its associated cognitive and motor impairments may provide a modest caveat to health-care providers.
KW - Insomnia
KW - Posturography
KW - Short-term memory
KW - Trazodone
KW - Verbal learning
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=81255185509&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=81255185509&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2011.00928.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2011.00928.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 21623982
AN - SCOPUS:81255185509
VL - 20
SP - 552
EP - 558
JO - Journal of Sleep Research
JF - Journal of Sleep Research
SN - 0962-1105
IS - 4
ER -