EVERY-OTHER-DAY ACETYLMETHADOL DISTURBS CIRCADIAN CYCLES OF HUMAN MOTILITY

l-Alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM) maintenance treatment has been proposed as a favorable alternative to methadone maintenance. With an unobtrusive actometer 2 successive 24 h cycles of spontaneous motor activity were recorded from 12 patients receiving LAAM every other day and from 5 receiving methadone every day. LAAM patients were about 50% more active on days of drug administration than on no-dose days (P < 0.001). There were no significant day-to-day differences in motility of methadone patients. LAAM administred every other day may significantly modify the human circadian rhythm of spontaneous motility; further research is needed before this treatment is widely adopted.