The relevance of pharmacological studies to sleep research in psychiatry.
The involvement of central serotonergic mechanisms in the organisation of human sleep has been confirmed in several single and multiple-dose clinico-pharmacological studies with the specific serotonin-S2-antagonist ritanserin. The pronounced thymosthenic effect observed with this compound in patients suffering from dysthymia, generalized anxiety disorder and negative symptoms of schizophrenia can possibly be attributed to a restoration of the energetic function during the night as a consequence of a dramatic increase in slow wave sleep during treatment with ritanserin.
D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016713:Ritanserin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*
D010880:Piperidines; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D016713:Ritanserin