Parasomnia induced by lemborexant: a case report
Toshinori Nakamura1, Yusuke Arai1, Tetsuya Hagiwara1
1Departments of Psychiatry.
International Clinical Psychopharmacology
|March 11, 2024
Summary
Lemborexant (an orexin receptor antagonist) may cause abnormal sleep behaviors like parasomnia in some patients, distinct from delirium. Discontinuing the medication led to rapid symptom improvement.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Sleep Medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Lemborexant, an orexin receptor antagonist, is recognized for treating sleep disorders and delirium.
- Complex sleep-related behaviors (parasomnias) have not been previously associated with lemborexant use.
Observation:
- A 69-year-old male patient with oral cancer developed delirium post-surgery.
- Following an increased dosage of lemborexant for insomnia, the patient exhibited abnormal nocturnal behaviors.
Findings:
- The abnormal nocturnal behavior rapidly resolved upon cessation of lemborexant.
- The observed symptoms suggest a potential link between increased lemborexant dosage and parasomnia, differentiating it from delirium.
Implications:
- Distinguishing lemborexant-induced parasomnia from delirium is crucial due to differing treatment strategies.
- Clinicians should consider parasomnia when patients display novel abnormal behaviors after lemborexant dosage adjustments.
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