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Effect of baclofen on sleep‐related periodic leg movements
Author(s) -
Guilleminault Christian,
Flagg Wayne
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410150304
Subject(s) - baclofen , anesthesia , sleep (system call) , placebo , rapid eye movement sleep , dose , nocturnal , psychology , medicine , myoclonus , slow wave sleep , eye movement , electroencephalography , neuroscience , agonist , receptor , alternative medicine , pathology , computer science , operating system
Five patients with nocturnal myoclonus (periodic leg movements during sleep), mean age 59.6 years, were monitored lygraphically for fifteen successive nights. Using a double‐blind drug study design with placebo at baseline, we inestigated the effect of baclofen on these patients. All patients had the repetitive sleep‐related abnormal movements dring both the baseline nights and those on which baclofen had been administered. The number of movements varied during the four baseline nights, but the movements induced sleep fragmentation, i.e., very short electroencepha graphic changes. Baclofen increased the number of movements but decreased their amplitude during non–rapid eye movevement (REM) sleep and shortened the interval between movements. Its effect on sleep was dose related: as dosages Ceased, delta sleep progressively increased and REM sleep decreased. Sleep fragmentation resulting from muscle aches decreased, as indicated by the diminution in alpha electroencephalographic arousals and K complexes. Baclo‐dosages of 20 mg and 40 mg were the most efficacious.