Sleep EEG Power Spectra, Insomnia, and Chronic Use of Benzodiazepines

Abstract

The findings show that spectral analysis is an efficient tool to detect and quantify the effects of benzodiazepine use on sleep structure, particularly with older adults, a group for whom macrostructure sleep alterations due to physiologic aging are hard to distinguish from sleep changes induced by insomnia and the use of hypnotic drugs. In addition, these results raise important questions about the effects and indications of prolonged use of benzodiazepine medications in older adults with insomnia complaints.

Effects of Some Antipsychotics and a Benzodiazepine Hypnotic on the Sleep-Wake Pattern in an Animal Model of Schizophrenia

“…It is well known that benzodiazepines decrease delta activity and increase beta activity in both animals and humans, and this sleep pattern is considered unphysiological sleep (32,33). Different from flunitrazepam, olanzapine significantly increased delta activity and decreased beta activity in MK-801-treated rats, indicating that the drug increased the quality of sleep.…”

Delta Wave Power: An Independent Sleep Phenotype or Epiphenomenon?

“…18,19 Benzodiazepines enhance NREMS but inhibit EEG δ power. 20 Several sleep regulatory substances enhance duration of NREMS and EEG δ power, e.g., tumor necrosis factor (TNF), growth hormone releasing hormone, interleukin-1 (IL1) (reviewed 21 ), while others decrease EEG δ power while increasing the duration of NREMS, e.g., nerve growth factor, neurotrophin-4, blood flow (to accommodate use-dependent cellular respiration) affects EEG δ power. Peripheral tactile stimulation-induced neural activity leads to increased EEG δ power in subsequent NREMS in the contralateral somatosensory cortex.…”

EEG-Biofeedback as a Tool to Modulate Arousal: Trends and Perspectives for Treatment of ADHD and Insomnia

“…3) consists of increased levels of beta activity especially during the sleep-onset period and early sleep stages (Merica et al, 1998). These observations may be interpreted as evidence of cognitive hyperarousal, which is in line with the often reported 'racing thoughts' of insomniacs (Bastien et al, 2003;Freedman, 1986;Harvey & Payne, 2002;Jacobs et al, 1993;Lamarche & Ogilvie, 1997;Merica, et al, 1998;Merica & Gaillard, 1992;Nofzinger et al, 1999;). In addition, elevated levels of alpha activity at sleep onset (Besset et al, 1998;Krystal et al, 2002) as well as a decrease in delta activity during non-REM sleep (Merica et al, 1998;Merica & Gaillard, 1992) have been reported.…”