Effects of zolpidem and zopiclone on cognitive and attentional function in young healthy volunteers: an event-related potential study.

Author(s): Nakajima T, Takazawa S, Hayashida S, Nakagome K, Sasaki T, Kanno O

Affiliation(s): Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Teikyo University Mizonokuchi Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.

Publication date & source: 2000-02, Psychiatry Clin Neurosci., 54(1):37-40.

Publication type: Clinical Trial; Randomized Controlled Trial

The effects of zolpidem and zopiclone, non-benzodiazepine ultra-short-acting hypnotics, on cognitive function and vigilance level were investigated in the morning following nocturnal administration using event-related potentials (ERP) and a sleep latency test (SLT). Zopiclone significantly shortened the sleep latency the following morning, whereas zolpidem did not, perhaps due to the difference in the elimination half-lives between the compounds. No significant effect was observed for either drug on the ERP indices, including the P3, mismatch negativity and negative difference components. At a clinically prescribed dosage these sleep inducers have no remarkable effect on cognitive or attentional functions but increase sleepiness of the subjects.