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Benzodiazepines.

Suzanne Nielsen1,2

  • 1National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW, 22-32 King Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia. suzanne.nielsen@unsw.edu.au.

Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences
|December 24, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Benzodiazepines, used since the 1960s, enhance GABA activity for sedation but carry dependence risks. Gradual tapering remains the primary strategy for managing benzodiazepine dependence due to limited effective pharmacological treatments.

Keywords:
BenzodiazepineDependenceMisuseNon-medical use

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Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Neuroscience
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Benzodiazepines have been used clinically since the 1960s.
  • They act as allosteric modulators of the GABAA receptor, enhancing inhibitory neurotransmission.
  • Initially perceived as having low dependence liability, evidence now indicates significant benzodiazepine dependence issues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the clinical use, mechanism of action, and evolving understanding of benzodiazepine dependence.
  • To highlight concerns regarding cognitive effects, falls, and contribution to opioid-related mortality.
  • To discuss current treatment strategies for benzodiazepine dependence.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of benzodiazepine pharmacology and clinical use.
  • Analysis of evidence regarding dependence liability and associated risks.
  • Examination of treatment options for benzodiazepine dependence.

Main Results:

  • Benzodiazepines enhance GABAergic inhibition, producing sedative and anxiolytic effects.
  • Increasing evidence points to substantial dependence potential with long-term use.
  • Concerns are rising about cognitive impairment, falls, and their role in opioid mortality.
  • Effective pharmacological treatments for dependence are scarce, with gradual tapering being the mainstay.

Conclusions:

  • Benzodiazepine use requires careful consideration due to dependence risks and adverse effects.
  • Gradual tapering is the principal approach for managing benzodiazepine dependence.
  • Further research into effective pharmacological interventions for dependence is warranted.