Research shows that some individuals are susceptible to effects similar to hangovers when using benzodiazepines, such as triazolam, or benzodiazepine-like drugs, such as zolpidem. And, while both drugs increase Stage 2 sleep time, this may indicate potential impairment of sleep-dependent motor learning, which is the experiment was set up to observe the effects of triazolam and zolpidem on motor learning. The study included 12 men who were good sleepers and had good sleep hygiene. Participants were separated into three groups that took a placebo, zolpidem, or triazolam. They were also periodically tested on their motor sequence learning and vigilance, and their sleep was measured using polysomnography. Both zolpidem and triazolam exhibited longer total sleep time, decreased sleep latency, increased REM latency, decreased Stage 1 sleep time, and increased Stage 2 sleep time when compared with placebo, with triazolam possessing the more extreme differences. Differences between evening tests were not statistically significant, but differences in overnight performance were; triazolam decreased overnight improvement.
This directly ties into my research because it shows how benzodiazepines can reduce learning through sedation. However, I did not realize that the drugs’ primary effects happen post-learning; from my previous understanding, it was due to only sedation of the night before. With increased REM latency there is less REM sleep time; because REM sleep is associated with memory consolidation, this inherently links much of my research together: Benzodiazepines reduce cerebral blood flow, thereby decreasing the ability to learn and shorter REM sleep time, which affects memory consolidation, as well as diminishing improvements gained from the previous night.
Morgan, P., Kehne, J., Sprenger, K., & Malison, R. (2010). Retrograde effects of triazolam and zolpidem on sleep-dependent motor learning in humans. Journal of Sleep Research, 19, 157-164. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2009.00757.x
Good. Its always nice to find an unexpectd tie in. This is a very interesting topic. Could the reduced memory consolidation also blunt traumatic memories? I guess it is more likely that there is greater risk for PTSD patients who might not be, as you have raised, able to "learn" from therapy, or who may not be having as effective a time diluting traumatic memories with new material.
ReplyDeleteAfter rereading my post, I realized that there were many errors that I left in the writing. I corrected most of the minute errors.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, though I haven't read any research on it, I would suppose that traumatic memories are a form of flashbulb memory, which are incredibly vivid and more persistent in remembrance. So, in order to lessen the memory consolidation, one would have to be taking benzodiazepines prior to the trauma, which is obviously not the case. But, once again, I have not done the research so I cannot say for certain. That would be an interesting topic though.
Cognitive behavioral therapies are not meant to dilute memories rather enable individuals to cope with the memories and symptoms, as well as understand the cognitive processes in an effort to modify existing notions.
David Reichenberger