Abstract
Butoctamide hydrogen succinate (BAHS) has been proved to increase REM sleep in patients with reduced REM sleep. Following previous experiments on the effects of BAHS on nocturnal sleep of mentally retarded (MR) subjects, a polygraphic study was conducted on 20 MR subjects (age 8–14 years) to verify the effects of BAHS, 1) after long-term administration and 2) in different etiologies of MR. Subjects were divided into two balanced groups receiving placebo or 400 mg BAHS before sleep for a 6-month period. Basal sleep did not differ substantially in the two groups, both presenting reduced REM sleep. Low amounts of REM sleep were partially reversed by BAHS administration, which caused a significant increase in the REM sleep stage. Post-treatment sleep modifications found in the experimental group were not observed in the control group. BAHS produced its effects on REM sleep immediately after the first administration of the drug, but they became more apparent after long-term treatment. Our findings indicate that long-term administration of BAHS at low dosage mantains its effects on REM sleep of mentally retarded children, causing modifications similar to those previously obtained with single administration at higher dosages in cats, in healthy young and elderly volunteers and in Down's syndrome children. In addition, our observations demonstrate the effectiveness of BAHS on REM sleep, when utilized in mental retardation of etiologies other than Down's syndrome.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Castaldo V, Krynicki V (1973) Sleep patterns and intelligence in functional mental retardation. J Ment Defic Res 17:231–235
Castaldo V, Krynicki V (1974) Sleep and eye movement patterns in two groups of retardates. Biol Psychiatry 6:295–299
Clausen J, Sersen E, Lidsky A (1977) Sleep patterns in mental retardation. Electroencephologr clin Neurophysiol 49:183–191
Dewan EM (1969) The programming (p) hypothesis for REMs. Physical Science Research Papers n. 388, Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories, Project 5628
Feinberg I (1968) Eye movement activity during sleep and intellectual function in mental retardation. Science 159:1256
Feinberg I, Braun M, Shulman E (1969) EEG sleep patterns in mental retardation. Electroencephologr Clin Neurophysiol 27:128–141
Fukuma E, Umezawa Y, Kobayashi K, Motoike M (1974) Polygraphic study on nocturnal sleep of children with Down's syndrome and endogenous mental retardation. Folia Psychiatr Neurol Japan 23:333–345
Gigli GL, Grubar JG, Colognola RM, Amata MT, Pollicina C, Ferri R, Musumeci SA, Bergonzi P (1987) Butoctamide hydrogen succinate and intensive learning sessions: effects on night sleep of Down's syndrome patients. Sleep 10:563–569
Gigli GL, Calia E, Grubar JC (1991) Sonno REM, apprendimento ed intelligenza. In: Mennuni GF (ed) Il sonno normale e patologico. Vita e Pensiero, Milano, pp 117–136
Gigli GL, Calia E, Grubar JC (1992) Du sommeil paradoxal à la neuropédagogie: une revue. In: JC Grubar, S Ionescu, G Magerotte, R Salbreux R (eds) ‘L’ intervention en déficience mentale. Théories et pratiques. Presses Universitaires de Lille, Lille, pp 275–289
Grubar JC (1975) Sommeil paradoxal et débilité mentale. Enfance 3/4:383–392
Grubar JC (1978) Le sommeil paradoxal des débiles mentaux. Enfance 2/3:165–172
Grubar JC (1983) Sleep and mental deficiency. Rev EEG Neurophysiol. Clin 13:107–114
Grubar JC, Gigli GL, Colognola RM, Ferri R, Musumeci SA, Bergonzi P (1986) Sleep patterns of Down's syndrome children: effects of butoctamide hydrogen succinate administration. Psychopharmacology 90:119–122
Hayashi Y, Otomo E, Okudaira N (1982) Drug increased REM sleep in aged subjects: butoctamide hydrogen succinate (BAHS). Psychoparmacology 77:367–370
Jouvet M (1978) Le sommeil paradoxal est-il responsable d'une programmation genetique du cerveau? C R Soc Biol (Paris) 172:9–32
Jouvet M, Cier A, Mounier D, Valatx JL (1961) Effects du 4-buty-rolactone et du 4-hydroxybutyrate sur l'EEG et le comportement du chat. CR Soc Biol (Paris) 6:1313–1316
Lairy GC, Barros-Ferreira M, Goldsteinas L (1967) Données récentes sur la physiologie et la physiopathologie de l'activité onirique. In: Gastaut H et al. (eds) The abnormalities of sleep in man. Aulo Gaggi, Bologna, pp 275–283
Okudaira N, Torii S, Endo S (1980) The effects of butoctamide hydrogen succinate on nocturnal sleep: all-night polygraphical studies. Psychopharmacology 70:117–121
Petre-Quadens O (1969) Contribution à l'étude de la phase dite paradoxale du sommeil. Acta Neurol Psychiatr Belg 69:769–898
Petre-Quadens O, Jouvet M (1966) Paradoxical sleep in mental retardation. J Neurol Sci 3:608–612
Rechtschaffen A, Kales A (1968) A manual of standardized terminology, techniques and scoring system for sleep stages of human subjects. Public Health Service, US Government Printing Office Washington DC
Schmidt H, Kaelbling R, Alexander J (1968) Sleep patterns in mental retardation: mongoloids and monozygotic twins. Psychopharmacology 5:212
Torii S, Mitumori K, Inubushi S, Yanagisawa S (1973) The REM sleep inducing action of naturally occurring bromine compound in the encéphale-isolé cat. Psychopharmacologia 29:65–75
Torii S, Inubushi S, Sakuma A (1975) Effects of related compounds of naturally occurring bromosubstance on the sleep-wakefulness cycle in the cat. In: Weitzman ED (ed) Advances in sleep research, vol. 2. Spectrum, New York, pp 155–163
Williams RL, Karacan I, Hursch CJ (1974) Electroencephalography (EEG) of human sleep. Wiley, New York
Yanagisawa I, Yoshikawa H (1973) A bromine compound isolated from human cerebrospinal fluid and synthesis-related compounds. Biochem Biophys Acta 329:283–294
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gigli, G.L., Maschio, M.C.E., Grubar, J.C. et al. Long-term administration of butoctamide hydrogen succinate on nocturnal sleep of mentally retarded subjects: a polygraphic study versus placebo. Psychopharmacology 117, 438–442 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02246216
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02246216