Effects of prior fluoxetine treatment on EEG sleep in women with recurrentdepression

Mie examined whether fluoxetine; treatment has persistent effects an electr oencephalographic sleep after drug discontinuation in patients with recurre nt major depression. Age-matched groups of 23 women were treated with inter personal psychotherapy alone (IPT) or fluoxetins pins interpersonal psychot herapy (IPT +FLU). Sleep studies were conducted when patients were depresse d, and again at remission, at least four weeks after fluoxetine discontinua tion. The groups did not differ in depression ratings pre- to post-treatmen t. Significant group*time interaction effects were noted for REM sleep (p = .04) and slow wave sleep (p = .02). REM percentage and phasic REM activity increased in the IPT + FLU group but decreased in the IPT group. The effec ts of fluoxetine; treatment an electroencephalographic sleep can be observe d for at least four weeks after drug discontinuation and appear to represen t both drug discontinuation and neuroadaptation effects. (C) 1999 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.