Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

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 Drugs: Benzodiazepines

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...

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.

Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview

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...

Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview

Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview

Inhalation anesthetics are drugs that induce general anesthesia upon inhalation. They work by increasing the sensitivity of GABAA receptors or inhibiting NMDA receptors, leading to a decrease in central nervous system activity. The depth of anesthesia can be rapidly adjusted by changing the concentration of the inhaled gas. Some common examples of inhalational anesthetics include volatile liquids like isoflurane, desflurane, sevoflurane and gases like xenon and nitrous oxide. Isoflurane, a...

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Barbiturates

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Barbiturates

Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a drug class that acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to alleviate anxiety, promote relaxation and induce sleep.These drugs function by amplifying the actions of the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), resulting in reduced neuronal activity. Barbiturates, a subset of sedatives and hypnotics first synthesized in the late 1800s, are categorized into ultra-short, short, intermediate, and long-acting groups based on their duration of effect. A key...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Organization of French level 1 adult trauma centers: A national survey.

Anaesthesia, critical care & pain medicine·2025

Same author

Impact of severe splenic trauma and its management on the occurrence of infections in intensive care unit.

Trauma surgery & acute care open·2025

Same author

Guidelines For Adult Pleural Fluid Effusion In Critical Care.

Anaesthesia, critical care & pain medicine·2025

Same author

Sensitivity and specificity of strategies to identify patients with hemostasis abnormalities leading to an increased risk of bleeding before scheduled intervention: the Hemorisk study.

Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis : JTH·2024

Same author

Preoperative ketamine administration for prevention of postoperative neurocognitive disorders after major orthopedic surgery in elderly patients: A multicenter randomized blinded placebo-controlled trial.

Anaesthesia, critical care & pain medicine·2024

Same author

Guidelines on human factors in critical situations 2023.

Anaesthesia, critical care & pain medicine·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

In Vivo Multimodal Imaging and Analysis of Mouse Laser-Induced Choroidal Neovascularization Model

In Vivo Multimodal Imaging and Analysis of Mouse Laser-Induced Choroidal Neovascularization Model

Published on: January 21, 2018

Dexmedetomidine: new insights.

Jean Mantz¹, Julien Josserand, Sophie Hamada

¹Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Beaujon University Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Clichy, Paris 7 Paris Diderot University, INSERM U 676, Paris, France. jean.mantz@bjn.aphp.fr

European Journal of Anaesthesiology

|October 1, 2010

Summary

Dexmedetomidine, an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, offers sedation, analgesia, and neuroprotection for critically ill patients. Its benefits include improved outcomes and brain function, with potential as an adjuvant in regional anesthesia.

More Related Videos

Acquisition of Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data in the Rat

Acquisition of Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data in the Rat

Published on: August 28, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 8, 2026

In Vivo Multimodal Imaging and Analysis of Mouse Laser-Induced Choroidal Neovascularization Model

In Vivo Multimodal Imaging and Analysis of Mouse Laser-Induced Choroidal Neovascularization Model

Published on: January 21, 2018

Acquisition of Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data in the Rat

Acquisition of Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data in the Rat

Published on: August 28, 2021

Area of Science:

Pharmacology
Neuroscience
Critical Care Medicine

Background:

Dexmedetomidine is a selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonist with sedative, analgesic, and sympatholytic effects.
Recent research highlights its potential to improve outcomes and long-term brain function in critically ill patients.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the neuroprotective properties of dexmedetomidine.
To evaluate its role in improving outcomes and brain function in the critically ill.
To assess its utility as an adjuvant in regional anesthesia.

Main Methods:

Review of experimental models and clinical studies on dexmedetomidine.
Analysis of its effects on delirium, sleep, ventilatory drive, and sympathetic response.
Evaluation of its use in conjunction with regional anesthesia.

Main Results:

Dexmedetomidine demonstrates neuroprotective properties, attenuating delirium and preserving sleep architecture.
It reduces sympathetic tone and inflammatory responses.
It may enhance the effects of regional anesthesia.

Conclusions:

Dexmedetomidine shows promise for improving outcomes and brain function in critically ill patients.
Its neuroprotective and sympatholytic effects contribute to its benefits.
Further research is needed to establish its risk/benefit ratio for bedside use.