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Iprindole: an Antidepressant which does not block REM Sleep

Nature volume 223, pages 750–752 (1969)Cite this article

Abstract

IN both animals and humans a number of drugs reduce rapid eye movement (REM) sleep1,2, the phase of sleep during which dreaming is most often reported in man3. Both imipramine-type1,4–8 and monoamine oxidase inhibitor-type antidepressants1,6,9 have been found to be particularly potent in reducing REM sleep. Iprindole has been shown in controlled double-blind clinical studies to be an effective antidepressant10,11. Although a tricyclic compound, iprindole differs chemically from the imipramine-type compounds because it is an indole with an eight membered, saturated, third ring, and pharmacologically is different in many respects from the standard antidepressants1,2. We therefore decided to compare the effects of iprindole and the standard tricyclic anti-depressants on sleep.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wyeth Laboratories, Box 8299, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19101

    BRUCE L. BAXTER & MELVYN I. GLUCKMAN

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  1. BRUCE L. BAXTER
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  2. MELVYN I. GLUCKMAN
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BAXTER, B., GLUCKMAN, M. Iprindole: an Antidepressant which does not block REM Sleep. Nature 223, 750–752 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/223750a0

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