title: Effects of antipsychotic medications on sleep in schizophrenia.
abstract: Schizophrenia is often accompanied by sleep problems. Evidence exists that these sleep difficulties have significant effects on individuals with this disorder. The mainstay of treatment for this condition is the administration of medications that have effects on neurotransmitter systems, which play an important role in sleep-wake function, including histamine, acetylcholine, serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. Little systematic attention, however, has been paid to how the sleep effects of these agents might play a role in the course of treatment, function and quality of life of schizophrenia patients. Schizophrenia medications can improve sleep problems and reverse the sleep architectural derangements that are common among patients with schizophrenia and, therefore, have the potential to improve the quality of life and functional capacity of the patient. Conversely, some sleep-wake effects of these medications can impair patient function and quality of life. In this study, we review the effects of schizophrenia medications and discuss their relevance to optimizing the clinical treatment of people with schizophrenia with regard to sleep-wake function.
authors.affiliation: Duke Insomnia and Sleep Research Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. kryst001@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Krystal
authors.forename: Harold W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Goforth
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roth
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents