Anxiety reducing

In Chapter 9 we were introduced to another class of drugs - central nervous system (CNS) depressants. This class of drugs includes many that are used for their anxiety-reducing properties. Alcohol is the most widely used of our recreational depressants, and its use has immense health costs for society. Furthermore, alcohol, unlike most of the other recreational drugs we have encountered, is legal in most countries. It produces a clear pattern of intoxication, with equally clear dose-related deficits. Intoxication depends on a number of factors including personality and other... 

Pyrazolopyridopyrazines 383 have been prepared (Scheme 91) as potential stress- and anxiety-reducing drugs <2005JME5780>. The imidazopyridopyrazines 384 have also been prepared for similar applications <2005JME5104>. 

Light avoidance (anxiety) reduced by ondansetron to amygdala Costall et al. (1990a)... 

Anxiolytics. The use of anxiety-reducing medications has not been systematically assessed in the treatment of AN. Nevertheless, many clinicians anecdotally report that the use of short-acting benzodiazepine such as lorazepam (Ativan) prior to mealtime diminishes anticipatory anxiety and thereby facilitates refeeding. 

Buspirone (Buspar). Buspirone is a nonbenzodiazepine anxiety-reducing medication. It can be an effective treatment for demented patients with chronic anxiety. Buspirone is not sedating like the benzodiazepines and in fact probably has the fewest side effects of any available psychiatric medication. Buspirone does have a delayed onset of action therefore, it is not useful for acute treatment of anxiety or agitation. 

Also in the 1950s and early 1960s, serotonin and dopamine were discovered to be neurotransmitters (later we will explore how these neurotransmitters are targets for anxiety-reducing drugs). Moreover, research into the first antidepressant drugs was suggesting links between neurotransmitters and mood. 

Historically, alcohol has been used as an anxiety-reducing agent, both casually and in professional medical settings. In 1903, barbital was introduced as the first barbiturate to treat anxiety, and phenobarbital followed a few years later. Barbiturates have many side effects and addictive properties, and overdose can lead to coma and death. For these reasons, they are rarely used today, except to treat some forms of epilepsy. This class of drugs was eventually replaced by the benzodiazepines (see Chapter 4). 

Benzodiazepines, by facilitating GABAergic actions, exert their anxiety-reducing effects by depressing the hyperactivity of neuronal circuits in the limbic system. In addition, they may inhibit the hyperexcitability of hippocampal cholinergic and serotoninergic neurons (see Figure 65.5). 

Cav2.2 N-type CtlB presynaptic nerve terminals evoked neurotransmitter release co-conotoxin GVIA, MVIIA and CVID, (D-grammotoxin SIVA, farnesol, peptidylamines hyponociceptive, reduced anxiety, reduced withdrawal symptoms... 

A 34-year-old woman taking clozapine 400 mg/day for psychiatric symptoms had recurrent attacks of sudden chest pressure, dizziness, fear of dying, and intense anxiety reducing the dose of clozapine to 250 mg/day led to modest improvement. Olanzapine 10 mg/day was then substituted, without recurrence, and her panic symptoms progressively improved. 

Sedatives are used clinically to relieve emotional tension, allay anxiety, reduce overactivity, as supplements to analgesic and anesthetic drugs, as anticonvulsants, and most importantly to sedate or induce sleep. 

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