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Wake-promoting pharmacotherapy for psychiatric disorders
Bernardo Dell'Osso1, Cristina Dobrea, Laura Cremaschi
1Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti, Dipartimento di Salute Mentale, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Università degli Studi di Milano, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Francesco Sforza 35, Milan, Italy, bernardo.dellosso@unimi.it.
Current Psychiatry Reports
|October 15, 2014
Summary
Wake-promoting medications treat sleep disorders and neuropsychiatric conditions. This review covers current and investigational drugs, their mechanisms, and clinical uses for conditions like ADHD and depression.
Area of Science:
- Psychopharmacology
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Wakefulness-promoting medications are used for sleep disorders and neuropsychiatric conditions.
- Sedating side effects of psychotropic drugs necessitate wake-promoting agents.
- Prevalence of wakefulness alterations is high (20-43%) in the general population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an updated overview of wake-promoting agents.
- To discuss mechanisms of action, indications, and clinical use.
- To cover both current and investigational drugs.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of psychopharmacological agents.
- Analysis of mechanisms of action for wakefulness promotion.
- Examination of clinical applications and limitations.
Main Results:
- Current agents include methylphenidate, modafinil, armodafinil, and amphetamines.
- These drugs are approved for ADHD, narcolepsy, treatment-resistant depression, and other disorders.
- Novel wake-promoting drugs are under investigation with varied mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Wake-promoting agents offer symptomatic relief for diverse conditions.
- Understanding mechanisms and limitations is crucial for effective clinical use.
- Ongoing research aims to expand therapeutic options for wakefulness disorders.
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