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Assessment of hypnotic effects in the rat: Influence of the sleep‐awake cycle
Author(s) -
Meltzer Leonard T.,
Serpa Kevin A.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
drug development research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.582
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1098-2299
pISSN - 0272-4391
DOI - 10.1002/ddr.430140206
Subject(s) - flurazepam , triazolam , hypnotic , sleep (system call) , benzodiazepine , circadian rhythm , psychology , anesthesia , non rapid eye movement sleep , electroencephalography , neuroscience , medicine , computer science , operating system , receptor
The influence of the sleep‐awake cycle of the rat on the apparent hypnotic effects of two benzodiazepine hypnotics, triazolam (short half‐life) and flurazepam (long half‐life), was assessed. Cortical electroencephalographic recordings from freely moving animals were used to determine whether the rats were awake or asleep. When tested during the dark phase of the light‐dark cycle, when rats sleep approximately 50% of each hour, both agents increased sleep, with flurazepam having a longer duration of action than triazolam. In contrast, when tested during the light phase of the light‐dark cycle, when rats sleep approximately 70–90% of each hour, the sleep‐inducing effects of the two agents could not be distinguished. These data emphasize the importance of baseline levels of sleep in assessing hypnotic‐drug effects.