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

Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Synthesis

Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Synthesis

Drugs affecting neurotransmitter synthesis can impact the adrenergic neuron and the synthesis of neurotransmitters. For example, α-methyltyrosine and carbidopa target specific enzymes involved in catecholamine synthesis. α-methyltyrosine inhibits the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase, which converts tyrosine into dopamine. By blocking this enzyme, α-methyltyrosine reduces dopamine production and other catecholamines. Carbidopa, on the other hand, inhibits the enzyme dopa decarboxylase,...

Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview

Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview

When it comes to infants and young children, they are typically administered smaller doses of medication in comparison to adults. This is primarily because their organ functions still need to fully develop, meaning their bodies are not as efficient at metabolizing or eliminating drugs. Additionally, their blood-brain barrier is more permeable than in adults. As a result, high concentrations of drugs can easily penetrate the central nervous system (CNS), potentially leading to neurological...

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...

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...

Antidepressant Drugs: Tricyclics, SSRIs, and SNRIs

Antidepressant Drugs: Tricyclics, SSRIs, and SNRIs

Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs), including Desipramine (Norpramin), Imipramine (Tofranil), Clomipramine (Anafranil), and Amitriptyline (Elavil), inhibit serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake and also block other receptors. They are used for depression, pain conditions, and insomnia. Common adverse effects include anticholinergic effects, sedation, orthostatic hypotension, and weight gain. They have a narrow therapeutic window and so require plasma-level monitoring. Abrupt discontinuation can...

Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake

Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake

Certain drugs can affect how neurotransmitters called catecholamines, are released or taken back up in the adrenergic neuron. They can have different effects on the body's sympathetic transmission. Reserpine, a natural compound found in the Rauwolfia shrub, blocks a transporter called vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT), which leads to a buildup of catecholamines in the cell and reduces sympathetic transmission. Another drug called guanethidine works in multiple ways, including blocking...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Transcriptomic and functional responses of human airway cells to vaped ∆8-THC and its oxidation product ∆8-THCQ.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Chemical Mechanisms of Lipid Peroxidation.

Redox biochemistry and chemistry·2026

Same author

Macrocyclic oxygen transfer in the conversion of fatty acid hydroperoxide to a single species of triol in physiological saline.

Organic & biomolecular chemistry·2026

Same author

Sterol pathway disruption in pregnancy: a link to autism.

Molecular psychiatry·2026

Same author

Author Correction: 7-Dehydrocholesterol is an endogenous suppressor of ferroptosis.

Nature·2026

Same author

Sex-Specific Metabolic Footprint of Ketogenic Diet in C57BL/6J Mice.

Biomedicines·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 19, 2025

Chronic Sleep Deprivation in Mouse Pups by Means of Gentle Handling

Chronic Sleep Deprivation in Mouse Pups by Means of Gentle Handling

Published on: October 11, 2018

Trazodone effects on developing brain.

Zeljka Korade^1,2, Luke B Allen^2,3, Allison Anderson³

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, 68198, NE, USA.

Translational Psychiatry

|February 2, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Trazodone (TRZ) use in pregnancy may harm fetal brain development by increasing toxic sterols. This risk is heightened in infants with a specific genetic mutation, posing a public health concern.

More Related Videos

Controlled Cortical Impact Model for Traumatic Brain Injury

Controlled Cortical Impact Model for Traumatic Brain Injury

Published on: August 5, 2014

Electrophysiological Recording in the Brain of Intact Adult Zebrafish

Electrophysiological Recording in the Brain of Intact Adult Zebrafish

Published on: November 19, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 19, 2025

Chronic Sleep Deprivation in Mouse Pups by Means of Gentle Handling

Chronic Sleep Deprivation in Mouse Pups by Means of Gentle Handling

Published on: October 11, 2018

Controlled Cortical Impact Model for Traumatic Brain Injury

Controlled Cortical Impact Model for Traumatic Brain Injury

Published on: August 5, 2014

Electrophysiological Recording in the Brain of Intact Adult Zebrafish

Electrophysiological Recording in the Brain of Intact Adult Zebrafish

Published on: November 19, 2013

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Biochemistry
Pharmacology

Background:

Trazodone (TRZ) is a widely prescribed antidepressant with off-label use for insomnia.
TRZ interferes with sterol biosynthesis, elevating 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), a compound known to disrupt brain development.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the effects of maternal Trazodone exposure on fetal development.
To analyze potential interactions between TRZ exposure and maternal/offspring Dhcr7 genotype.

Main Methods:

Utilized an in vivo animal model and human biomaterial (serum samples).
Assessed sterol levels (7-DHC, desmosterol) and TRZ concentrations in brain tissue and serum.
Examined the impact of maternal TRZ exposure on offspring with varying Dhcr7 genotypes.

Main Results:

Maternal TRZ exposure increased 7-DHC and decreased desmosterol in newborn pup brains.
Offspring with Dhcr7 mutations exposed to TRZ exhibited the highest levels of toxic oxysterols.
Human serum samples confirmed a strong correlation between TRZ levels and elevated 7-DHC.

Conclusions:

Trazodone use during pregnancy may pose a risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly in fetuses with a heterozygous DHCR7 genotype.
The widespread use of TRZ highlights a potential public health concern regarding in utero exposure.
Findings underscore the need for careful consideration of TRZ prescription during pregnancy.