Effects of temazepam, flurazepam and quinalbarbitone on sleep: psychomotor and cognitive function.

1 The effect of temazepam 15 and 30 mg, flurazepam 15 and 30 mg, quinalbarbitone 100 and 200 mg and placebo were studied in 14 healthy male volunteers according to a Latin-square design. At 14-d intervals subjects received capsules 30 min before bedtime on 2 consecutive nights and were evaluated for objective sleep characteristics, for morning estimates of sleep characteristics, and for cognitive and psychomotive performance and subjective state at 3.5, 10.0 and 22.5 h after ingestion. 2 Changes in sleep induction and sleep maintenance were observed with temazepam 30 mg and flurazepam 30 mg had the greater effect on cognitive performance, whereas quinalbarbitone 20 mg had the greater effect on psychomotive performance. Subjective assessments of alertness were most affected by flurazepam, and by quinalbarbitone 200 mg. 4 The results suggest that temazepam produces less residual effects and is shorter acting than quinalbarbitone and flurazepam.