The effect of four-week administration of amitriptyline on sleep bruxism. A double-blind crossover clinical study.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a tricyclic antidepressant (amitriptyline) on nocturnal masseteric activity and duration of sleep in bruxists. Using a randomized, double blind, crossover design, ten females (mean age 39 yrs, +/- sd seven yrs) received active (amitriptyline 25 mg/night) and inactive (placebo 25 mg/night) medication, over a period of four weeks each. A portable EMG integrator recorded the nocturnal, unilateral, and cumulative myoelectrical activity (microV/min of sleep) of the masseter muscle during the fourth and eighth weeks of the study. The results showed that amitriptyline did not significantly decrease the mean EMG activity (df = 9, alpha = 0.05, paired-t = 0.892, p = 0.3964), nor did it significantly increase the duration of sleep (df = 9, alpha = 0.05, paired-t = 2.140, p = 0.061). The results of this study do not support the administration of 25 mg of amitriptyline per night over a period of four weeks for the management of sleep bruxism.

• Authors: A J Raigrodski, L V Christensen, S E Mohamed, D M Gardiner
• Journal: Cranio : the journal of craniomandibular practice (Cranio) Vol. 19 Issue 1 Pg. 21-5 (Jan 2001) ISSN: 0886-9634 [Print] England
• PMID: 11842836 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic
• Placebos
• Amitriptyline

Topics

• Adult
• Amitriptyline (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Analysis of Variance
• Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Cross-Over Studies
• Double-Blind Method
• Electromyography (drug effects)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Linear Models
• Masseter Muscle (drug effects)
• Normal Distribution
• Placebos
• Sleep (drug effects)
• Sleep Bruxism (drug therapy)
• Statistics as Topic
• Treatment Outcome