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Changes in EEG power density of NREM sleep in depressed patients during treatment with citalopram
Author(s) -
BEMMEL ALEX L.,
BEERSMA DOMIEN G. M.,
HOOFDAKKER RUTGER H.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of sleep research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.297
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2869
pISSN - 0962-1105
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2869.1993.tb00080.x
Subject(s) - non rapid eye movement sleep , electroencephalography , k complex , psychology , anesthesia , placebo , sleep (system call) , citalopram , audiology , slow wave sleep , medicine , psychiatry , serotonin , operating system , alternative medicine , receptor , pathology , computer science
SUMMARY According to a recent hypothesis the therapeutic effects of antidepressants might be related to acute or cumulative suppression of NREM sleep intensity. This intensity has been proposed to be expressed in the EEG power density in NREM sleep. In the present study the relationship was examined between the changes of EEG power density in NREM sleep and the changes in clinical state in 16 depressed patients during treatment with citalopram, a highly specific serotonin uptake inhibitor. A one‐week wash‐out period was followed by 1 week of placebo administration, a medication period of 5 weeks, and a one‐week placebo period. In order to minimize systematic influences of sleep duration and NREM‐REM sleep alterations, EEG power was measured over the longest common amount of NREM sleep stages 2, 3 and 4 (91.5 min). During the last treatment week and the week after withdrawal, a significant decrease of EEG power as compared to baseline was found in the 8–9 Hz frequency range. No clear‐cut change, however, was observed in the EEG power of the delta frequency range (1–4 Hz), which is considered to be the principle manifestation of NREMS intensity. Furthermore, no relationship between changes in EEG power density and changes in clinical state could be demonstrated.