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Related Concept Videos

Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview01:23

Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview

Sedatives are drugs that alleviate anxiety, while hypnotics induce sleep. Both classes of medication suppress neuronal activity, leading to a calming effect for sedatives and facilitating sleep for hypnotics.
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents01:17

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a wide range of substances, each with its unique mechanism of action, uses, and potential adverse effects.
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
Management of Insomnia01:19

Management of Insomnia

The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...
Nightmares and Night Terrors01:18

Nightmares and Night Terrors

Nightmares and night terrors represent two distinct types of sleep disturbances that differ in timing, characteristics, and the sleeper's recall of the event. Nightmares are vivid, disturbing dreams that usually awaken the sleeper from REM sleep, a stage of sleep where brain activity is high, and dreams are most frequent. Upon awakening, individuals often have detailed recollections of their nightmares, which can include themes of threats to survival, security, or self-esteem.
Nightmares often...
Sleep-Wake Cycles01:24

Sleep-Wake Cycles

Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and  rapid eye movement (REM).
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines01:19

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines have both sedative and hypnotic properties. They include compounds such as diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax). Structurally, their cores are similar, consisting of the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring, but they share a common mechanism of action in the central nervous system (CNS).
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice
08:45

Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice

Published on: January 25, 2016

Sleep-inducing factors.

Fabio García-García1, Eva Acosta-Peña, Arturo Venebra-Muñoz

  • 1Laboratorio de Biología de Sueño, Departamento de Biomedicina, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, México. fgarcia@uv.mx

CNS & Neurological Disorders Drug Targets
|August 20, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers explored chemical factors inducing sleep, starting with hypnotoxin. This chapter details the sleep-inducing effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide, prolactin, adenosine, and anandamide.

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Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice
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Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice

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Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice
08:45

Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice

Published on: January 25, 2016

Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice
10:56

Quantifying Infra-slow Dynamics of Spectral Power and Heart Rate in Sleeping Mice

Published on: August 2, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • The concept of a sleep-inducing chemical factor, termed hypnotoxin, was first proposed by Ishimori and Piéron.
  • Numerous substances, including peptides, cytokines, neurotransmitters, and lipids, are known to influence sleep.
  • Many of these sleep-modulating substances also play roles in other biological processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and describe the sleep-inducing properties of specific chemical substances.
  • To highlight the involvement of vasoactive intestinal peptide, prolactin, adenosine, and anandamide in sleep regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on sleep-inducing substances.
  • Focus on experimental evidence and biological roles of selected compounds.

Main Results:

  • Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) exhibits sleep-promoting effects.
  • Prolactin has been implicated in sleep regulation.
  • Adenosine accumulates during wakefulness and promotes sleep.
  • Anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid, also influences sleep.

Conclusions:

  • Several distinct chemical factors contribute to sleep induction and regulation.
  • Understanding these substances offers insights into the neurobiology of sleep.
  • Further research into these compounds may reveal novel therapeutic targets for sleep disorders.