Changes in sleep EEG architecture during the treatment of depressed patients with mianserin

The effect of mianserin on sleep variables was studied in a single-blind non-controlled trial. Ten depressed hospital in-patients received placebo for one week and then mianserin 60 mg at night for four weeks. Acute changes seen on starting mianserin treatment included increases in sleep period time, total sleep time, sleep efficiency index, and stage II sleep, together with reductions in total time awake and latency for rapid eye movement sleep. The changes in sleep efficiency index, total time awake, stage II sleep, and latency for rapid eye movement sleep persisted over the duration of the study. Clinically, treatment with mianserin improved overall sleep pattern and ameliorated their depression.