The effects of lormetazepam on aspects of sleep and early morning performance

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Abstract
Lormetazepam in a dose range 0.5–2.0 mg was given on a repeated dose regimen to a group of 12 healthy female volunteers in a double blind crossover design with each subject acting as her own control and receiving all 3 drug treatment conditions. There were no consistent or persistent effects noticed with 0.5 mg lormetazepam on tests of psychomotor function, performance and analogue rating scales for sleep and early morning behaviour. Lormetazepam 1 mg produced no significant effects on objective (CFF) or subjective measures (ARS) of sedation the morning following either acute or repeated dosing and had no effects on subjective ratings of sleep and early morning behaviour. Digit symbol substitution was impaired following acute doses of lormetazepam 1 mg. Evidence of a significant residual sedative effect was found on CFF and ARS ratings only after acute dosing with lormetazepam 2 mg. These sedative sequelae were not found after repeated doses of lormetazepam 2 mg although DSST scores were impaired. Lormetazepam 2 mg significantly improved sleep induction and sleep quality scores without impairing the ease of waking and the integrity of early morning behaviour. Lormetazepam 1 mg shows no residual sedative effect as measured by CFF and ARS, the morning following either acute or repeated doses.