Benzodiazepines promote the intermediate stage at the expense of paradoxical sleep in the rat

• Published in: Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior Vol. 49; no. 4; pp. 921 - 927
• Main Authors: Gandolfo, Gabriel, Scherschlicht, Richard, Gottesmann, Claude
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.12.1994; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Anxiety Agents - pharmacology; Benzodiazepines; Biological and medical sciences; Diazepam - pharmacology; Electroencephalography - drug effects; Epilepsy - physiopathology; Eye Movements - drug effects; Heart Rate - drug effects; Hypnotics. Sedatives; Intermediate stage; Male; Medical sciences; Midazolam - pharmacology; Neuropharmacology; Paradoxical sleep; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Rat; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Rats, Wistar; Sleep; Sleep Stages - drug effects; Sleep, REM - drug effects; Species Specificity; Theta Rhythm - drug effects; Triazolam - pharmacology; Sleep; Paradoxical sleep; Rat; Intermediate stage; Benzodiazepines; Vertebrata; Sleep stage; Intraperitoneal administration; Mammalia; Psychotropic; Animal; Rodentia; Benzodiazepine derivatives; Hypnotic; Rapid eye movement sleep; Biological activity
• ISSN: 0091-3057; 1873-5177
• DOI: 10.1016/0091-3057(94)90244-5

The effects of diazepam, a long half-life benzodiazepine, midazolam and triazolam, two with short half-life, on the transitional stage between deep slow wave sleep and paradoxical sleep were studied in Wistar and WAG/Rij rats. This intermediate stage is characterized by the unusual association of cortical spindles and low frequency hippocampal theta rhythm. The main result was extension of the intermediate stage at the expense of paradoxical sleep by diazepam and triazolam by influencing only the duration of the intermediate stage and both the onset and maintenance of paradoxical sleep. Midazolam increased both intermediate stage and paradoxical sleep. Several differences in the qualitative modulation of the stage characteristics and between rat strains were found. In regard to the possible peculiar physiological significance of the intermediate stage, we conclude that benzodiazepines promote a transient pharmacological cerveau isolé-like stage during sleep in rats.