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Hypnotics with novel modes of action
Author(s) -
Hoyer Daniel,
Allen Andrew,
Jacobson Laura H.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/bcp.14180
Subject(s) - insomnia , orexin , drug , medicine , orexin receptor , pharmacology , modalities , psychiatry , neuroscience , psychology , receptor , neuropeptide , social science , sociology
Insomnia and, more generally, lack of sleep are on the rise. Traditionally treated by classical hypnotics, such as benzodiazepines and Z drugs, which both act on the GABA A receptor, and other modalities, including nondrug therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, there is a range of new hypnotics which are being developed or have recently received market approval. Suvorexant and the like target the orexin/hypocretin system: they should have less side effects in terms of drug–drug interactions with e.g. alcohol, less memory impairment and dependence potential compared to classical hypnotics.