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One sleep disorder throws light on another

Treatment based on narcolepsy could promote sleep in insomniacs.

By learning from patients who nod off unexpectedly during the day, researchers have pinpointed a chemical that could help people who can't sleep at night.

One out of every 10 people in the United States suffers from chronic insomnia, making for a big sleeping-pill market. The most popular pills work by strengthening the effects of a brain chemical that slows the nervous system and promotes relaxation. But these drugs can also carry unpleasant side effects, including memory loss and grogginess the next day. The race for a better sleeping pill is still on.

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Posted by Alex Witze on January 28, 2007 06:00 PM |

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Comments

Narcoleptics fall asleep in REMsleep and not in nonREMsleep (as normally). What is th structure of sleep under Orexin inhibitors ?
Narcoleptics yawn frequently before a sleepy attaque. It is a gut alert symptom. Orexin inhibitors induce a loss of alertness and muscles tone . Is that a real sleep ?

Posted by: walusinski | January 29, 2007 06:51 PM

Hi I heard a news report from a local radio station saying that in future insomnia could be a thing of the past, I Joined your mailing list and have access to the full article. This is not for me but for a good friend who has a very bad sleep pattern. When do you think this treatment will be available in Australia.

Posted by: Paul Whiting | January 30, 2007 03:31 AM

Hypocretin or orexins are also appetite stimulants -- in fact Yanigazawa’s group tested first in that direction. So an antagonist could have also some reduction in appetite and weight. Has that been tested in animals in the lab? Also as has been mentioned, Primary Insomnia is more a caffeine-like state -- are there other sympathetic measures that support the turn down of that hyper-alert effect?

Posted by: Rafael J. Salin-PAscual MD, PhD | February 1, 2007 07:54 PM

Check it out another blog deals with all kinds of sleep disorders
http://www.aboutsleepdisorders.blogspot.com/

Posted by: About Sleep Disorders | February 6, 2007 10:22 AM

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