THE EFFECTS OF RITANSERIN ON MOOD AND SLEEP IN ABSTINENT ALCOHOLIC PATIENTS

A trial was carried out to determine the effect of ritanserin or a pla cebo on sleep and mood in two groups of abstinent alcoholic patients. Their condition was characterized by both alcohol dependence and dysth ymia, associated with a personality disorder. They were included in th e study after 30 days of sobriety. Ritanserin was given at a daily dos e of 10 mg for 28 days and was preceded (10 days) and followed (2 days ) by a placebo. Plasma ritanserin concentration after administration o f the 28th dose was higher than after the first dose. Peak levels of r itanserin from the first to the 28th dose increased approximately thre e-fold. In the ritanserin group there was a reduction of total waking time. Total sleep time increase was associated with significantly larg er amounts of nonrapid eye movement sleep. Slow wave sleep and rapid e ye movement sleep (in minutes or as a percent of total sleep time) wer e not significantly modified. Patients on ritanserin achieved a progre ssive improvement of their dysthymia. As compared to the placebo group , a statistically significant decrease of the Hamilton Rating Scale fo r Depression and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety was found in the ri tanserin group after 1 week of treatment. The absence of an effect in the placebo-treated group suggests that the clinical response and slee p improvement were mainly related to ritanserin administration.