Effect of loprazolam and of triazolam on psychological functions

Twelve poor sleepers of mean age 52 years performed 2 h of laboratory tests three times on 1 day during each week of nightly intake of loprazolam 0.5 mg, loprazolam 1 mg, triazolam 0.5 mg, or continued placebos. Only in the mornings did loprazolam 1 mg cause impairment in manual dexterity and card-sorting, and triazolam 0.5 mg in manual dexterity. Using difference from baseline, withdrawal of either drug after 3 weeks was associated with poorer subjective quality of sleep than following continuing placebos. The rate of spontaneous complaints (including accidents) associated with the drugs was as informative as formal testing.