Effect of a short-acting benzodiazepine on brain electrical activity during sleep

The effects of the short-acting benzodiazepine, triazolam, on EEG activity during sleep were assessed in poor sleepers. Twenty male subjects, mean age 21 +/- 2.37 years, participated. A screening night preceded 3 placebo nights, 6 treatment nights, and 2 placebo-withdrawal nights. During treatment, 10 subjects received triazolam (0.5 mg) and 10 received placebo. The treatment condition was double-blind. In addition to rate/min spindle count and number of delta half-waves/min, the auditory evoked response (AEP) was obtained on the last placebo baseline and the fifth drug night. Subjects receiving triazolam showed a significant increase in sleep spindles and a significant decrease in delta count during drug administration. Both values returned to baseline on the first withdrawal night. The AEP peak-to-trough amplitude was also significantly reduced during sleep by triazolam, but, as the time since drug ingestion increased, the amplitude of the AEP also increased. There was no difference in AEP amplitude between the two groups 5 h post-drug ingestion.