Barbiturate use is associated with which pattern of sleep changes?

Barbiturate use is associated with which pattern of sleep changes?

• A. Decreases REM sleep and increases total sleep time
• B. Increases REM sleep and decreases total sleep time
• C. Decreases N2 and increases wakefulness
• D. Increases delta activity and reduces REM sleep

Answer: (A)

Barbiturates promote a sedative sleep state by enhancing GABAergic inhibition, which helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. This tends to increase total sleep time because awakenings are reduced and sleep is more continuous. At the same time, the brain regions that generate REM sleep are suppressed, so REM sleep is decreased. So, the overall pattern is longer sleep with less REM sleep. The other patterns are less consistent with barbiturates: they don’t reliably increase REM sleep, and they don’t typically produce a predictable rise in delta (deep) activity across the board. The hallmark effect clinicians note is more total sleep time with reduced REM.

Barbiturates promote a sedative sleep state by enhancing GABAergic inhibition, which helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. This tends to increase total sleep time because awakenings are reduced and sleep is more continuous. At the same time, the brain regions that generate REM sleep are suppressed, so REM sleep is decreased.

So, the overall pattern is longer sleep with less REM sleep. The other patterns are less consistent with barbiturates: they don’t reliably increase REM sleep, and they don’t typically produce a predictable rise in delta (deep) activity across the board. The hallmark effect clinicians note is more total sleep time with reduced REM.