Influence of reserpine on all-night sleep pattern in nonlobotomized and lobotomized chronic schizophrenic patients

This study was performed on two groups of schizophrenic patients. One group consisted on nine nonlobotomized patients and the other of nine lobotomized ones. The groups were matched for age, sex, duration of illness, clinical symptoms, type and dose of psychopharmacological treatment. The patients of both groups were administered 1 mg of reserpine half an hour before bedtime, for three successive days. Before reserpine administration the mean percentage time of the NREM stage 4 was significantly higher in the lobotomized group. There was no significant difference in the REM parameters. After three days of reserpine administration in the nonlobotomized group, there was no significant difference in the mean percentage of the NREM stage 4, whereas the mean REM percentage significantly increased and REM latency decreased. In the lobotomized group the same procedure, i.e., three days of reserpine administration, provoked a significant decrease in the mean percentage of the NREM stage 4 and no significant changes in the REM parameters. This difference in reserpine action on sleep in the lobotomized group is discussed.