Viola Antoine U, Brandenberger Gabrielle, Toussaint Michel, Bouhours Philippe, Paul Macher Jean, Luthringer Remy
Laboratoire des Régulations Physiologiques et des Rythmes Biologiques chez l'Homme, Institut de Physiologie, 4, rue Kirschleger, 67085 Cedex, Strasbourg, France.
Clin Neurophysiol. 2002 Mar;113(3):429-34. doi: 10.1016/s1388-2457(02)00014-7.
To determine the effect on sleep electroencephalographic (EEG) activity of ritanserin, a serotonin-2 (5-HT2) receptor antagonist in young poor sleepers.
Eight male subjects underwent two randomized night studies after receiving either a placebo or 5 mg ritanserin administered in the morning. The overnight variations in the delta (0.5-4.0 Hz) and sigma (12.25-15.0 Hz) frequency bands were characterized using a peak analysis which provided a quantitative evaluation of the time-courses in EEG activity.
In subjects under ritanserin, slow wave sleep duration and the number of non-rapid eye movement (NREM)-REM sleep cycles were significantly enhanced (P<0.01). The number of peaks in delta activity occurring in the normal 80-120 min range was significantly (P<0.05) increased. Using a delta peak analysis, 4 periods containing or not a significant peak were identified in each subject. A significant increase in delta activity was observed in the areas under the averaged curves during the second and the third periods (P<0.05), while sigma activity decreased under ritanserin during the first, second and third periods (P<0.05).
These results demonstrate that ritanserin increases delta activity, possibly by opposing the inhibitory control of 5-HT2 receptor family. It restores sleep ultradian rhythmicity and improves sleep quality in young poor sleepers.
