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Related Concept Videos

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...
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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...
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...
Insomnia01:27

Insomnia

Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings during the night, and waking up too early without being able to return to sleep. People with insomnia often experience these disruptions at least three nights a week for at least one month. Chronic insomnia, which lasts for at least three months, can lead to increased anxiety, which in turn can worsen sleep difficulties, creating a cycle of sleeplessness and stress.
Multiple factors contribute...
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).
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CNS depressants include drugs from the category of barbiturates and benzodiazepines. They are valuable medications for managing anxiety disorders and insomnia. Barbiturates, once used to induce and maintain sleep, have been replaced mainly by benzodiazepines due to barbiturate's toxicity, tolerance, and overdose risks. They interact with GABAA receptors, leading to sedation at low doses and potentially coma and death at higher doses. Phenobarbital, a long-acting barbiturate, possesses...

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High-Throughput Small Molecule Drug Screening For Age-Related Sleep Disorders Using Drosophila melanogaster
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Melatonin agonists and insomnia.

Sally A Ferguson1, Shantha M W Rajaratnam, Drew Dawson

  • 1Centre for Sleep Research, University of South Australia, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. sally.ferguson@unisa.edu.au

Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics
|February 9, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Melatonin agonists like ramelteon, tasimelteon, and agomelatine show promise for circadian rhythm disorders and some insomnia. Further research is needed to confirm efficacy and understand mechanisms for treating sleep disorders.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Melatonin is known for its role in regulating biological rhythms.
  • It is used to treat circadian rhythm sleep disorders like jet lag and shift work disorder.
  • Evidence for melatonin's efficacy in primary insomnia is less conclusive.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the efficacy of melatonin receptor agonists in treating sleep disorders.
  • To explore the potential of selective melatonin receptor agents for novel treatments.
  • To understand the mechanisms of action and clinical applications of these agonists.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on melatonin receptor agonists.
  • Analysis of clinical trial data for ramelteon, tasimelteon, and agomelatine.
  • Discussion of phase-dependent properties and long-term effects.

Main Results:

  • Ramelteon, tasimelteon, and agomelatine appear effective for circadian rhythm sleep disorders.
  • These agonists show potential efficacy in certain types of insomnia.
  • Further studies are necessary to clarify mechanisms, especially for insomnia treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Melatonin receptor agonists demonstrate efficacy in circadian rhythm sleep disorders.
  • Their role in primary insomnia requires further investigation.
  • Large-scale, independent randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate long-term effects.