Repeated administrations of tianeptine (10 mg·kg-1 im, twice daily, for 15 days) did not globally influence sleep-wakefulness cycles and cortical EEG activity overnight in rhesus monkeys. This antidepressant agent neither inhibited paradoxical sleep nor increased slow wave sleep. However, tianeptine induced a slight, but significant increase in wakefulness during the first hour following its administration, and had no sedative effects. The influence of tianeptine on sleep patterns in the monkey could be related to other arousal or sleep modifications observed in rats and cats, and to certain electrophysiological data reported in rat studies.
