Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Using MazeSuite and Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy to Study Learning in Spatial Navigation
Published on: October 8, 2011
Effects of hypnotics on prefrontal cortex activity during a verbal fluency task in healthy male subjects: A
Yoshiyuki Tsuruta1, Kunihiro Iwamoto1, Masahiro Banno1
1Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Objective:
To assess the effects of hypnotics on prefrontal cortex activity in healthy subjects using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial.
Methods:
Eighteen healthy males received acute doses of ramelteon (8 mg), triazolam (0.125 mg), or placebo in a predetermined randomization schedule, with a washout period of more than 1 week. All subjects performed a verbal fluency task during NIRS assessments at baseline and at 1 and 4 hr post-dose. The number of words correctly generated during the task (behavioral performance) and scores on the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) were also recorded at each test time.
Results:
Compared with the placebo, triazolam (0.125 mg) significantly decreased oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentration change in NIRS during the posttask period and significantly increased behavioral performance, whereas triazolam (0.125 mg) and ramelteon (8 mg) significantly increased SSS scores.
Conclusions:
The differential effects of two types of hypnotics on oxy-Hb change measured by NIRS were observed in acute dosing, suggesting that when assessing brain activity of patients with psychiatric disorders, researchers should consider how certain types of hypnotics can influence brain function. This would also provide useful information to clinicians when prescribing hypnotics suitable for their patients' conditions.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Bioavailability Study Design: Healthy Subjects Versus Patients
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy: Overview
Different compounds display unique properties due to their...
Atomic Spectroscopy: Effects of Temperature
At thermal equilibrium, the relative populations of excited and ground state atoms can be estimated using the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution. For example, an increase in temperature...
Non-Verbal Cues
Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...

