EFFECTS OF ZOLPIDEM ON SACCADIC EYE-MOVEMENTS AND PSYCHOMOTOR PERFORMANCE - A DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED STUDY IN HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS

1 Peak saccade velocity provides a valuable means of assessing the sed ative effect of drugs in humans. The present study investigated the ef fects of zolpidem, an imidazopyridine hypnotic, on saccade velocity in healthy volunteers after single and repeated administration. 2 Zolpid em 5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg significantly and dose dependently depressed peak saccade velocity during the 1.5 h after a single administration. On the morning after zolpidem administration, peak saccade velocity ha d returned towards pretreatment levels. Nitrazepam 10 mg also signific antly depressed peak saccade velocity but the effect was maintained th e following morning. The saccade response to zolpidem (5 and 10 mg) wa s undiminished after the seven nightly doses. 3 Nightly administration of zolpidem improved subjective sleep quality and there was no eviden ce of rebound insomnia following cessation of drug treatment.