Next-day cognition, psychomotor function, and driving-related skills following nighttime administration of eszopiclone

Objective To evaluate next‐day driving ability, as assessed by brake reaction time (BRT), and cognitive/psychomotor function following nighttime administration of 3 mg eszopiclone. Methods Two randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, cross‐over studies were performed in healthy volunteers (n = 32) and patients with primary insomnia (n = 32). Study participants received nighttime dosing of 3 mg eszopiclone or placebo. BRT and a psychometric test battery were used to assess the next‐day effects of eszopiclone treatment. Results In both studies, driving ability and measures of cognitive and psychomotor function were not impaired the morning after eszopiclone, as compared to placebo. All eszopiclone subjects reported improved ease in getting to sleep and quality of sleep with no significant changes in behavior upon awakening. A significant increase in next‐day feelings of sedation was reported in healthy volunteers, but not in patients with primary insomnia, following eszopiclone treatment relative to placebo. Sleep induction, maintenance, duration, and efficiency, as assessed by PSG, were significantly improved following eszopiclone treatment in patients with insomnia. Conclusions Nighttime administration of 3 mg eszopiclone improved objective and subjective sleep measures in patients with insomnia (and subjective sleep measures in healthy patients) and did not impair next‐day driving‐related skills or measures of cognition in either study population relative to placebo. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.