Effect of the GABAA agonist gaboxadol on nocturnal sleep and hormone secretion in healthy elderly subjects

Aging is associated with a dramatic decrease in sleep intensity and continuity. The selective GABAA receptor agonist gaboxadol has been shown to increase non-REM sleep and the duration of the non-REM episodes in rats and sleep efficiency in young subjects and to enhance low-frequency activity in the electroencephalogram (EEG) within non-REM sleep in both rats and humans. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we investigated the influence of an oral dose of 15 mg of gaboxadol on nocturnal sleep and hormone secretion (ACTH, cortisol, prolactin, growth hormone) in 10 healthy elderly subjects (6 women). Compared with placebo, gaboxadol did not affect endocrine activity but significantly reduced perceived sleep latency, elevated self-estimated total sleep time, and increased sleep efficiency by decreasing intermittent wakefulness and powerfully augmented low-frequency activity in the EEG within non-REM sleep. These findings indicate that gaboxadol is able to increase sleep consolidation and non-REM sleep intensity, without disrupting REM sleep, in elderly individuals and that these effects are not mediated by a modulation of hormone secretion.