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

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...

Drug Dependence

Drug Dependence

Medications are typically administered to achieve therapeutic effects. Some drugs can modify an individual's mood and perception, frequently resulting in various enjoyable experiences. However, this can result in drug dependency, a condition marked by continuous drug use despite potential negative consequences. Drug dependency primarily falls into two categories: psychological and physical dependence. Psychological dependence occurs when the pleasurable feelings induced by the drug...

Anxiolytic Drugs: Overview

Anxiolytic Drugs: Overview

Anxiolytic drugs are vital in managing anxiety disorders by effectively alleviating symptoms such as excessive fear, tachycardia, and tremors. There are several classes of anxiolytic medications, each with unique mechanisms of action and potential side effects.
Primary Types of Anxiolytic Drugs
1. Benzodiazepines:
Benzodiazepines bind to the GABA-A receptor in the brain, enhancing GABA's interaction. This action reduces neurotransmission, effectively blocking anxiety-associated limbic circuitry.

Drug Therapy

Drug Therapy

The advent of drug therapy has profoundly shaped modern mental health care, providing targeted treatments for a range of psychological disorders. Psychotherapeutic drugs, classified into antianxiety, antidepressant, and antipsychotic medications, address symptoms across anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. While these medications have transformed patient outcomes, they require careful management due to their potential side effects and limitations.
Antianxiety Medications

Anxiety: Overview

Anxiety: Overview

Anxiety is a common mental disorder featuring excessive worry, fear, and apprehension, significantly affecting daily life. People with anxiety disorders experience persistent and intense anxiety, interrupting their everyday functioning.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology: 65 Years of History.

Journal of clinical pharmacology·2026

Same author

Steroid Hormone Changes after Short-Term High-Dose Exposure to Cannabidiol in Healthy Subjects: An Exploratory Study.

Medical cannabis and cannabinoids·2026

Same author

Question: Why Is My Patient With Breast Cancer Advised That She Can Take Clozapine and Tamoxifen Together Despite Possible Interactions Between the Two?

Journal of clinical psychopharmacology·2026

Same author

Volume of distribution in pharmacokinetics and clinical medicine: a critical update.

The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology·2026

Same author

Karl Rickels, MD: A 100-Year Journey.

Journal of clinical psychopharmacology·2026

Same author

Time Trends in Prescribing of Anxiolytic, Sedative, and Hypnotic Drugs in the United States.

Clinical therapeutics·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 28, 2026

The Successive Alleys Test of Anxiety in Mice and Rats

The Successive Alleys Test of Anxiety in Mice and Rats

Published on: June 17, 2013

Medication dependence and anxiety.

Lisa L von Moltke¹, David J Greenblatt

¹Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Tufts University School of Medicine and Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, Mass, USA.

Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience

|October 29, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Benzodiazepines offer effective anxiety treatment but carry dependence risks. Careful management and newer antidepressants are options for managing anxiety disorders safely and effectively.

Keywords:

anxiety benzodiazepine dependence discontinuation selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

More Related Videos

Elevated Plus Maze Test Combined with Video Tracking Software to Investigate the Anxiolytic Effect of Exogenous Ketogenic Supplements

Elevated Plus Maze Test Combined with Video Tracking Software to Investigate the Anxiolytic Effect of Exogenous Ketogenic Supplements

Published on: January 7, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 28, 2026

The Successive Alleys Test of Anxiety in Mice and Rats

The Successive Alleys Test of Anxiety in Mice and Rats

Published on: June 17, 2013

Elevated Plus Maze Test Combined with Video Tracking Software to Investigate the Anxiolytic Effect of Exogenous Ketogenic Supplements

Elevated Plus Maze Test Combined with Video Tracking Software to Investigate the Anxiolytic Effect of Exogenous Ketogenic Supplements

Published on: January 7, 2019

Area of Science:

Psychiatry
Pharmacology

Background:

Anxiety disorders are prevalent and burdensome psychiatric conditions.
Benzodiazepines improved pharmacological treatment for anxiety, offering greater safety and efficacy than older agents.
Concerns regarding dependence potential have led to cautious clinical use of benzodiazepines.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the role of benzodiazepines in anxiety disorder treatment.
To discuss the risks and benefits of pharmacological anxiety treatments.
To explore strategies for safe and effective management of anxiety.

Main Methods:

Literature review of pharmacological treatments for anxiety disorders.
Analysis of benzodiazepine efficacy, dependence liability, and discontinuation.
Comparison of benzodiazepines with newer antidepressants.

Main Results:

Benzodiazepines are effective but carry a risk of dependence, necessitating careful discontinuation planning.
A complex relationship exists between substance dependence and anxiety in some individuals.
Newer antidepressants offer an alternative without dependence liability but can be costly and have side effects.

Conclusions:

Pharmacological therapy for anxiety requires careful risk management.
Treatment should aim to improve patient symptoms and function.
Individualized treatment strategies are crucial for managing anxiety disorders effectively.