Effects of Triazolam (0.5 mg) on Sleep, Performance, Memory, and Arousal Threshold.
Abstract
The effects of a short-acting benzodiazepine hypnotic, triazolam (0.5 mg), on sleep, performance, and arousal threshold were assessed in 20 male poor sleepers (age 21 + or - 2.37 years). Following a laboratory screening night, all subjects received placebo for 3 nights (single-blind), 10 received triazolam and 10 placebo for 6 nights (double-blind), and all received placebo on 2 withdrawal nights (single-blind). All effects described below were statistically significant. Triazolam reduced sleep latency and increased total sleep time and sleep efficiency. Stage 2% was increased and Stage 4% was reduced during treatment. Morning performance, measured 8.25 hours post-drug, showed no decrements. Acute effects were assessed on the 6th treatment night during arousals from sleep at 1, 5, 3, and 5 hours post-administration: performance was impaired in triazolam subjects on the Wilkinson 4-Choice Reaction Time Test, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Williams Word Memory Test, and Card Sorting Task. In the morning following the 6th treatment night, long-term memory was tested using a recognition task requiring subjects to identify words presented during nighttime test batteries: triazolam subjects correctly identified fewer target words. Triazolam administration produced anterograde amnesic effects. But, in a Paired Associates Test learned prior to drug ingestion on the previous evening, triazolam did not impair morning recall of word pairs. Threshold for arousal from slow wave sleep was elevated during treatment, and triazolam subjects did not show increased sensitivity to the arousing tone over nights as did placebo subjects. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA101785
Entities
People
- Cheryl L. Spinweber
- Laverne C. Johnson
Organizations
- Naval Health Research Center