Drugs for Sleep Flashcards
Depressant
a drug that reduces neuron activity and arousal
Hypnotic
A drug that induces sleep/ stay asleep
Stimulant
A drug that promotes wakefulness and arousal
Synchronized neuron activity
has peaks and valleys at same periods of times
electroencephalogram
measures electromagnetic activity of the cortex
electromyogram
measures electromagnetic activity of muscles
Sleep Stages are based on …
neural activity in the brain an and features of body physiology (muscle tone, heart rate, breathing rate, body temperature)
Awake- EEG patterns
- irregular pattern of high frequency, low amplitude (low power) electrical activity
- Alpha activity predominates and beta activity occurs with focused thought and attention.
N1 Light sleep EEG patterns
(theta activity begins to show) is light sleep with normal breathing and heart rate (brief)
N2 sleep EEG patterns
shows sleep spindles, K complexes, and some delta waves. Breathing & heart rate slow, body temp drops.- (sleep spindle & K complex shows )
N3 deep sleep EEG patterns
(characterized by long stretches of delta waves)- sometimes triggers seizures
REM sleep
skeletal muscles are paralyzed, breathing shallow and faster. (EEG patterns similar to those of wake or light sleep)
A typical sleep cycle is about …
90 mins
Newborn sleep cycle
8 hours of REM, average 16 hours of sleep per day
20 yr old sleep cycle
2 hours of REM, average of 8 hours of sleep per day
80 yr old sleep cycle
45 minutes of REM, average of 6.5 hours of sleep per day
Acute sleep deprivation causes …
cognitive impairments and increased emotionality (does not adversely affect other organs)
Fatal familial insomnia
neurodegenerative disease affecting the thalamus and other brain regions, caused by a mutation in the PRNP gene. Midlife onset, progressive inability to sleep is fatal.
Rechtshaffen experiment
rats deprived of sleep will die in 3-4 weeks – eat more, lose weight, cannot thermoregulate, death
NREM sleep is important for:
1) fluids to move 3x faster within the brain
2) Clear the by-products of metabolic activity – glymphatic system
Why do we dream?
- The brain can review & rehearse newly learned skills & facts.
- Nightmares may serve a function of practicing one’s reaction to worst-case scenarios.
External and Internal Factors that Affect Sleep Onset and Duration
- Environment (novelty & stress = dopamine & norepinephrine = wakefulness)
- Release of melatonin from pineal gland
- Body temperature
Accumulation of adenosine (use of ATP) in CSF
The main drug used to treat sleep problems
- Benzodiazepines increase GABA signaling by increasing the frequency of GABA channel opening
2 benzodiazepines
- diazepam
- lorazepam
Example of a barbiturates
phenobarbital
Target of Benzos
amplify are “agonists” of the effects of GABA (allosteric modulators)
Which class of drugs is considered safer, benzos or barbiturate?
Benzodiazepines are safer than barbiturates. They are less likely to cause a lethal overdose. There is also a drug that can counteract a benzodiazepine (called flumazenil)
New pharmacotherapies for insomnia
- Melatonin receptor agonist – ramelteon – agonist for the two melatonin receptors MLT1 and MLT2.
- FDA approved for treatment of primary insomnia.
2 examples of barbiturates
phenobarbital and pentobarbital
Mechanism of barbiturates
agonists of GABA receptor (allows receptor to stay open for longer)
Mechanism of benzodiazepines
increases likelihood that GABA receptor will open
5 examples of benzos
diazepam
clonazepam
lorazepam
zopiclone
zolpidem
