Skip to main content
Log in

Rebound insomnia and hypnotic self administration

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Psychopharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Twenty-one (three groups of seven), men and women, 25–50 years of age were studied to determine whether or not rebound insomnia would increase the likelihood of self administering a benzodiazepine (triazolam 0.25 mg) hypnotic. The groups compared were patients with insomnia and disturbed sleep, insomnia and normal sleep, and healthy normals. Rebound insomnia, by both subjective and polysomnographic assessment, was induced. The experience of rebound insomnia did not increase the likelihood of self administering a benzodiazepine hypnotic in any of the groups. There were clear group differences in pill self administration with normals rarely and insomnia patients frequently, but not differentially (placebo versus active drug) self administering pills.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychiatric Association (1990) Benzodiazepine dependence, toxicity, and abuse. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Bixler E, Kales A, Soldatos C, Scharf M, Kales J. (1978) Effectiveness of temazepam with short-, intermediate-, and long-term use: sleep laboratory evaluation. J Clin Pharmacol 18:110–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Consensus Conference (1984) Drugs and insomnia. JAMA 251:2410–2414

    Google Scholar 

  • de Wit H, Johanson CE, Uhlenhuth EH (1984) Reinforcing properties of lorazepam in normal volunteers. Drug Alcohol Depend 13:31–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenblatt D, Harmatz J, Zinny M, Shader R (1987) Effect of gradual withdrawal on the rebound sleep disorder after discontinuation of triazolam. New Engl J Med 12:722–728

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths RR, Roache JD (1985) Abuse liability of benzodiazepines: A review of human studies evaluating subjective and/or rein-forcing effects. In: Smith DE, Wesson DR (eds) The benzodiazepines current standards for medical practice. MTP Press Hingman, MA, pp 209–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths RR, Bigelow GE, Liebson I (1979) Human drug self-administration: double blind comparison of pentobarbital, diazepam, chlorpromazine and placebo. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 210:301–310

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths RR, Bigelow GE, Liebson I (1983a) Differential effects of diazepam and pentobarbital on mood and behavior. Arch Gen Psychiatry 40:865–873

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths RR, Bigelow GE, Liebson I, Kaliszak JE (1983b) Drug preference in humans: double blind choice comparison of pentobarbital, diazepam and placebo. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 215:649–661

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths RR, Lamb RJ, Ator NA, Roache JD, Brady JV (1985) Relative abuse liability of triazolam: experimental assessment in animals and humans. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 9:133–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartse K, Roth T, Piccione P, Zorick F (1980) Rebound insomnia. Science 208:423

    Google Scholar 

  • Johanson CE, Uhlenhuth EH (1980a) Drug preference and mood in humans: diazepam. Psychopharmacology 71:269–273

    Google Scholar 

  • Johanson CE, Uhlenhuth EH (1980b) Drug preference and mood in humans:d-amphetamine. Psychopharmacology 71:275–279

    Google Scholar 

  • Johanson CE, Kilgore K, Uhlenhuth EH (1983) Assessment of dependence potential of drugs in humans using multiple indices. Psychopharmacology 81:144–149

    Google Scholar 

  • Kales A, Scharf M, Kales J (1978) Rebound insomnia: a new clinical syndrome. Science 201:1039–1041

    Google Scholar 

  • Marks J (1978) The Benzodiazepines — use, overuse, misuse, abuse. University Park Press, Baltimore, MD

    Google Scholar 

  • Merlotti L, Roehrs T, Zorick F, Stepanski E, Russo L, Roth T (1988) Rebound insomnia, duration of administration, and individual differences. Sleep Res 17:52

    Google Scholar 

  • Rechtschaffen A, Kales A (1968) A manual of standardized terminology, techniques and scoring system for sleep stages of human subjects. US Govt Printing Office, USPHS, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Roehrs TA, Zorick FJ, Wittig RM, Roth T (1986) Determinants of rebound insomnia. Br J Clin Pharmacol 22:143–147

    Google Scholar 

  • Roehrs T, Vogel G, Roth T (1990) Rebound insomnia: its determinants and significance. Am J Med 88:39S-42S

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Roehrs, T., Merlotti, L., Zorick, F. et al. Rebound insomnia and hypnotic self administration. Psychopharmacology 107, 480–484 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245259

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245259

Key words

Navigation