confuzzled21 t1_iui44ui wrote on October 31, 2022 at 2:40 PM

Reply to comment by [deleted] in Eli5 What are the long term consequences of drugs that suppress REM sleep? by muted_Log_454

I'm not sure there's been any studies regarding long term use of specific drugs on memory, but there could be some out there.

The best theory put forward by researchers is that REM sleep is, indeed, required to process memory, experience, and cognition that is gained during waking hours. Even if there's been absolutely no study regarding specific drug-induced reduction of REM and how it affects individuals, I'd think it pretty clear that anything that stops/reduces REM, short or long term, is going to cause memory consequences.

__daco_ t1_iui5mck wrote on October 31, 2022 at 2:50 PM

Yep thats exactly my thought process. Science on drugs is often rare and not thorough enough to make definite conclusions but it's fair to say that whatever impairs REM sleep must impair memory and possibly other systems as well.

EldestPort t1_iuie3xy wrote on October 31, 2022 at 3:48 PM

>I'm not sure there's been any studies regarding long term use of specific drugs on memory, but there could be some out there.

Here is an interesting one

MotherMaintenance342 t1_iuioylz wrote on October 31, 2022 at 5:01 PM

Doesn't seem like it's based on specific drugs though, which strengthens their point. Not a bad study, but still not as precise as desired.

EldestPort t1_iujzyl2 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 10:23 PM

Yes that is true! I did a little extra digging and found some more studies. This one, 'Pharmacological REM sleep suppression paradoxically improves rather than impairs skill memory', found that SSRIs did not, in fact, affect the creation of new memories. The study 'Sleep and cognition at baseline and the effects of REM sleep diminution after 1 week of antidepressive treatment in patients with depression' similarly found 'no negative effects of a decrease in REM sleep on memory performance in patients taking antidepressants' in their study using SSRIs and SNRIs. Both studies here may imply that new memories can be created during sleep even in the absence of REM sleep.