Pharmacotherapy of Sleep Disorders

Question 1

What are the 2 broad categories of hypnotic agents?

Answer 1

1. enhance GABA-chloride channel activity (ie benzos)

2. non-GABA receptor sites of action

Question 2

In which stage of sleep do night terrors occur?

Answer 2

Stage 3 and 4 (delta)

Question 3

How do benzos induce sleep?

Answer 3

facilitating the action of GABA at the GABAa receptor-chloride channel complex

Question 4

GABA appears to interact with _____ subunits triggering chloride channel opening with resultant membrane hyperpolarization.

Answer 4

alpha or beta

Question 5

GABA appears to interact with alpha or beta subunits triggering _____ opening with resultant membrane hyperpolarization.

Answer 5

chloride channel

Question 6

GABA appears to interact with alpha or beta subunits triggering chloride channel opening with resultant ______.

Answer 6

membrane hyperpolarization

Question 7

GABA receptors with ____ subunits are highly expressed in the cortex and these receptors appear to mediate sedative (sleep), amnestic, and anticonvulsant actions of benzodiazepines.

Answer 7

α1

Question 8

GABA receptors with α1 subunits are highly expressed in the ______ and these receptors appear to mediate sedative (sleep), amnestic, and anticonvulsant actions of benzodiazepines.

Answer 8

cortex

Question 9

GABA receptors with α1 subunits are highly expressed in the cortex and these receptors appear to mediate _______ actions of benzodiazepines.

Answer 9

sedative (sleep), amnestic, and anticonvulsant

Question 10

GABA receptors with _____ subunits are highly expressed in the limbic system/brainstem and these receptors appear to mediate myorelaxant, motor impairing, anxiolytic, and ethanol-potentiating effects of benzodiazepines.

Answer 10

α2/α5

Question 11

GABA receptors with α2/α5 subunits are highly expressed in the _____ and these receptors appear to mediate myorelaxant, motor impairing, anxiolytic, and ethanol-potentiating effects of benzodiazepines.

Answer 11

limbic system/brainstem

Question 12

GABA receptors with α2/α5 subunits are highly expressed in the limbic system/brainstem and these receptors appear to mediate______ effects of benzodiazepines.

Answer 12

myorelaxant, motor impairing, anxiolytic, and ethanol-potentiating

Question 13

Benzodiazepines in clinical use today bind to GABA-chloride channels with _____ subunits and result in both sleep and anxiolysis.

Answer 13

both α1 and α2/α5

Question 14

Benzodiazepines in clinical use today bind to GABA-chloride channels with both α1 and α2/α5 subunits and result in _______.

Answer 14

both sleep and anxiolysis