Effects of prior fluoxetine treatment on EEG sleep in women with recurrent depression

Mie examined whether fluoxetine; treatment has persistent effects an electroencephalographic sleep after drug discontinuation in patients with recurrent major depression. Age-matched groups of 23 women were treated with interpersonal psychotherapy alone (IPT) or fluoxetins pins interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT +FLU). Sleep studies were conducted when patients were depressed, and again at remission, at least four weeks after fluoxetine discontinuation. The groups did not differ in depression ratings pre- to post-treatment. 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 effects of fluoxetine; treatment an electroencephalographic sleep can be observed for at least four weeks after drug discontinuation and appear to represent both drug discontinuation and neuroadaptation effects. (C) 1999 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.