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: 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...

CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines

CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines

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...

Anxiolytic Drugs: Benzodiazepines and Buspirone

Anxiolytic Drugs: Benzodiazepines and Buspirone

Benzodiazepines are a class of anxiolytic drugs known for their rapid efficacy and high therapeutic-to-lethal dose ratio, but with a potential risk of drug dependence. These drugs are lipophilic, allowing for rapid absorption after oral administration, eventually reaching the central nervous system (CNS). Once in the CNS, benzodiazepines bind to the allosteric site of the GABAA receptor. This binding enhances the inhibitory effects of the neurotransmitter GABA. By doing so, they prevent...

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...

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...

Management of Insomnia

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

A review of the management of antidepressant discontinuation symptoms.

Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology·2016

Same author

Withdrawing Benzodiazepines in Patients With Anxiety Disorders.

Current psychiatry reports·2016

Same author

Usage of benzodiazepines: A review.

International journal of psychiatry in clinical practice·2014

Same author

Benzodiazepine harm: how can it be reduced?

British journal of clinical pharmacology·2012

Same author

Dependence and withdrawal: comparison of the benzodiazepines and selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors.

Addiction (Abingdon, England)·2012

Same author

Satisfaction with medication is correlated with outcome but not persistence in patients treated with placebo, escitalopram, or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors: a post hoc analysis.

The primary care companion for CNS disorders·2011

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

Methods for the Discovery of Novel Compounds Modulating a Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Receptor Type A Neurotransmission

Methods for the Discovery of Novel Compounds Modulating a Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Receptor Type A Neurotransmission

Published on: August 16, 2018

Benzodiazepines revisited--will we ever learn?

Malcolm Lader¹

¹Addiction Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK. malcolm.lader@kcl.ac.uk

Addiction (Abingdon, England)

|July 1, 2011

Summary

Benzodiazepines (BZDs), used for anxiety and insomnia, continue to pose risks of dependence and adverse effects despite their long-term use. Their long-term risk-benefit ratio remains unestablished, highlighting the need for cautious prescribing and further research.

More Related Videos

High-Throughput Small Molecule Drug Screening For Age-Related Sleep Disorders Using Drosophila melanogaster

High-Throughput Small Molecule Drug Screening For Age-Related Sleep Disorders Using Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: October 20, 2023

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Published on: December 6, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 31, 2026

Methods for the Discovery of Novel Compounds Modulating a Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Receptor Type A Neurotransmission

Methods for the Discovery of Novel Compounds Modulating a Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Receptor Type A Neurotransmission

Published on: August 16, 2018

High-Throughput Small Molecule Drug Screening For Age-Related Sleep Disorders Using Drosophila melanogaster

High-Throughput Small Molecule Drug Screening For Age-Related Sleep Disorders Using Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: October 20, 2023

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Published on: December 6, 2016

Area of Science:

Psychiatry and Pharmacology
Neuroscience
Clinical Medicine

Background:

Benzodiazepines (BZDs) have been widely prescribed for anxiety and insomnia for 50 years.
Their efficacy is contrasted by concerns regarding adverse effects, dependence, and abuse.
The availability of alternative medications has reignited debate on BZD use.

Purpose of the Study:

To re-examine the multifaceted aspects of benzodiazepine (BZD) use.
To focus on the adverse effects, dependence, and abuse potential associated with BZDs.
To review the ongoing controversies and clinical challenges surrounding long-term BZD prescription.

Main Methods:

A comprehensive literature search was conducted across Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Collaboration databases.
Keywords included 'benzodiazepine(s)' combined with terms like 'dependence' and 'abuse'.
Reference lists of key papers were hand-searched to supplement database findings.

Main Results:

Benzodiazepines (BZDs) remain controversial due to polarized opinions on efficacy versus adverse effects.
Cognitive and psychomotor impairments are noted adverse effects, alongside significant dependence and abuse issues.
Despite guidelines, high BZD usage persists, with limitations in therapy choice, dosage, and duration.

Conclusions:

Practical problems with benzodiazepines (BZDs) have persisted for 50 years, often overlooked by practitioners and official bodies.
The short-term risk-benefit ratio of BZDs is generally positive, but long-term use carries unestablished risks, primarily due to potential for indefinite use and dependence.
Further research is needed on long-term brain changes and the role of flumazenil in BZD withdrawal.