Abstract
Pregabalin, an analog of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) that does not interact with GABA receptors, is in development as an analgesic, an anticonvulsant, and an anxiolytic. We evaluated the potential somnogenic actions of pregabalin in rats and compared it to those of triazolam, a widely used hypnotic. Pregabalin increased the duration of nonrapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) and decreased rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) after either dark onset or light onset administration. Triazolam increased duration of NREMS and had no effect on duration of REMS. Pregabalin markedly increased the duration of NREMS episodes and decreased the number of NREMS episodes. Power spectrum analysis revealed pregabalin-induced dose-dependent increases in relative delta power after administration. In contrast, triazolam decreased electroencephalographic power density in low frequency bands. Results suggest that pregabalin is a potential sleep modulating agent.
Footnotes
-
This study was supported by Warner-Lambert Co., Ann Arbor, MI.
- Abbreviations:
- GABA
- γ-aminobutyric acid
- REMS
- rapid eye movement sleep
- NREMS
- non-REMS
- EEG
- electroencephalographic
- EMG
- electromyogram
- Tbr
- brain temperature
- SWA
- slow wave activity
- ANOVA
- analysis of variance
- Received March 20, 2001.
- Accepted August 21, 2001.
- The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
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