Am J Psychiatry 1995; 152:274-276
Copyright © 1995 by American Psychiatric Association
REM sleep enhancement by bupropion in depressed men
EA Nofzinger, CF Reynolds 3rd, ME Thase, E Frank, JR Jennings, AL Fasiczka, LR Sullivan and DJ Kupfer
Sleep and Chronobiology Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, PA 15213.
OBJECTIVE: The authors compared the effects of bupropion, fluoxetine, and
cognitive behavior therapy on EEG sleep in depressed subjects. METHOD:
All-night sleep EEG studies were performed before treatment and after
partial or full remission on 18 men with depression diagnosed according to
Research Diagnostic Criteria and randomly assigned to treatment with either
bupropion (N = 7) or fluoxetine (N = 11). Response to these drugs was
measured by changes in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores. Pre- and
posttreatment EEG sleep study results before and after treatment with
cognitive behavior therapy were also available for 18 men matched in age
and severity of Hamilton depression scale score, and one-time EEG sleep
measures were available for 36 men who were not depressed. RESULTS: REM
latency was reduced and REM sleep percent and REM time increased after
treatment in the depressed men given bupropion. These effects contrasted
with the effects of fluoxetine and cognitive behavior therapy. CONCLUSIONS:
This study represents the first report of an antidepressant medication that
shortens REM latency and increases REM sleep. If confirmed, this finding
may require a revision of our current understanding of the relation among
depression, REM sleep, and anti-depressant mechanisms.
