[New hypnotics ramelteon for the treatment of insomniacs with circadian rhythm disturbance].
Ramelteon is a new class of sleep agent that selectively binds to the melatonin type 1 (MT1) and type 2 (MT2) receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), instead of binding to GABA-A receptors such as with traditional hypnotics benzodiazepines. Ramelteon exhibits not only acute sleep-promoting effect but also circadian phase-shifting effect via MT1 and MT2 receptors respectively, and has been revealed to contribute to the treatment of acute and chronic insomnia in patients with circadian rhythm sleep disorders(sleep-wake rhythm disorders) or with inappropriate timing of sleep habits. Optimal administration plan for insomniac patients to induce these characteristic sleep-modulating effects by ramelteon was discussed.
Department of Psychophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center for Neurology and Psychiatry.
Kazuo
K
Mishima
D021081:Chronobiology Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007192:Indenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007192:Indenes; C495910:ramelteon