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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...
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...
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...
CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines01:14

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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...
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).
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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Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice
08:45

Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice

Published on: January 25, 2016

Insomnia pharmacology.

Shannon S Sullivan1

  • 1Stanford Sleep Medicine Center, Redwood City, CA, USA. shannon.s.sullivan@stanford.edu

The Medical Clinics of North America
|May 11, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Insomnia, a common sleep disorder, necessitates understanding sleep-wake mechanisms. This review covers current and investigational pharmacologic treatments for insomnia.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Insomnia is the most prevalent sleep disorder.
  • It is a frequent complaint in primary care and specialist practices.
  • Understanding sleep-wake mechanisms is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review basic sleep-wake mechanisms.
  • To discuss neuroanatomic targets for sleep and wake-promoting agents.
  • To examine current and investigational pharmacologic therapies for insomnia.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of sleep-wake mechanisms.
  • Analysis of neuroanatomic targets for pharmacologic intervention.
  • Synthesis of data on existing and emerging hypnotic agents.

Main Results:

  • Pharmacologic approaches are widely used for insomnia.
  • Several neuroanatomic targets are identified for sleep modulation.
  • Current and investigational hypnotics offer various treatment options.

Conclusions:

  • A thorough understanding of sleep-wake physiology is essential.
  • Pharmacotherapy remains a cornerstone in managing insomnia.
  • Ongoing research into novel hypnotics promises improved therapeutic strategies.