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5‐HT2 receptor antagonism and slow‐wave sleep in major depression
Author(s) -
Staner L.,
Kempenaers C.,
Simonnet M.P.,
Fransolet L.,
Mendlewicz J.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1992.tb03241.x
Subject(s) - ritanserin , serotonergic , psychology , irritability , medicine , antagonist , 5 ht2 receptor , slow wave sleep , depression (economics) , endocrinology , 5 ht receptor , electroencephalography , serotonin , receptor , psychiatry , anxiety , economics , macroeconomics
Specific sleep disturbances such as reduced slow‐wave sleep (SWS) and decreased serotonergic (5‐HT) activity have been observed in depressive disorders. Ritanserin, a specific 5‐HT2 receptor antagonist, has been shown to increase SWS in healthy subjects. This study explored the effects of a single dose or ritanserin (5 mg) on sleep electroencephalography in 18 major depressed patients and in 10 control subjects. Ritanserin affected SWS differently in the two groups. Although stage 3 increased significantly in the groups, in contrast to controls, there was no significant effect of ritanserin on stage 4 in depressed patients. In the depressed group, irritability and DSM‐III‐R melancholic type predicted 40% or the variance of stage 4 increment after ritanserin, as assessed by stepwise multiple regression. These results are in agreement with a potential 5‐HT disturbance, particularly at the 5‐HT2 receptor level, in some clinical forms of depression.