Anxiolytic effects of drugs: approaches, methods and problems

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Updated: Oct 12, 2026

The Successive Alleys Test of Anxiety in Mice and Rats
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The Successive Alleys Test of Anxiety in Mice and Rats

Published on: June 17, 2013

W Janke, P Netter

    Neuropsychobiology
    |January 1, 1983
    PubMed

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    Anxiolytic Drugs: Overview01:26

    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.
    Anxiolytic Drugs: Benzodiazepines and Buspirone01:29

    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...
    Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview01:23

    Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview

    Sedatives are drugs that alleviate anxiety, while hypnotics induce sleep. Both classes of medication suppress neuronal activity, leading to a calming effect for sedatives and facilitating sleep for hypnotics.
    Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
    Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines01:19

    Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines

    Benzodiazepines have both sedative and hypnotic properties. They include compounds such as diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax). Structurally, their cores are similar, consisting of the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring, but they share a common mechanism of action in the central nervous system (CNS).
    Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...
    Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents01:17

    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...
    Drug Therapy01:28

    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