Emergence of anti-conflict effects of zolpidem in rhesus monkeys following extended post-injection intervals.

Rationale: Zolpidem is a hypnotic drug that binds to γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors but lacks consistently demonstrable anxiolytic efficacy.

Methods: Rhesus monkeys (N = 4) were trained under a multiple schedule in which food-maintained responding was programmed (18-response fixed ratio) for a 5-min period, followed by a 5-min period in which the food-maintained responding was suppressed by response-contingent electric shock (20-response fixed ratio). Doses of zolpidem (range = 0.

Retrograde effects of triazolam and zolpidem on sleep-dependent motor learning in humans.

Drugs that act as allosteric activators at the benzodiazepine site of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA(A)) receptor complex are used commonly to treat insomnia but relatively little is known of how such use affects learning and memory. Although anterograde effects on memory acquisition have been shown, possible retrograde effects on consolidation are more relevant when such agents are administered at bedtime. We tested the effects of two GABA(A) allosteric activators on sleep-dependent motor skill memory consolidation in 12 healthy male subjects.