The Pharmacology of Sleep

The last four decades have witnessed considerable advances in our knowledge of the pharmacology of sleep. Both basic and clinical pharmacology have made major contributions toward our current understanding of the complex mechanisms of sleep and wakefulness. In addition, these advances in our understanding of the pharmacology of sleep have benefited the treatment of sleep disorders and various neurologic and psychiatric conditions. This volume is organized into three different parts. The first is a review of the basic mechanisms of sleep and wakefulness and the chronobiology of sleep. The second part reviews the basic pharmacology of the various neuro transmitter systems involved in sleep and wakefulness, while the third is clinically oriented and focuses on the effects of a variety of drugs on sleep and wakefulness. The initial part begins with a historical review of the hypotheses of the mechanisms of sleep, evolving from passive to active regulation, and concepts involving sleep-related neurotransmitters and other sleep factors. Then regulation of sleep and wakefulness is discussed in terms of homeostatic, circadian, and ultradian processes. Also discussed is the fact that sleep homeostasis is not disrupted by the administration of hypnotic drugs. This part also reviews time-dependent properties of pharmacologic agents in relation to endogenous biologic rhythms and more specifically to chrono pharmacologic changes.

Contenu
1 Evolution of Concepts of Mechanisms of Sleep.- 2 Principles of Sleep Regulation: Implications for the Effect of Hypnotics on Sleep.- 3 Principles of Chronopharmacology and the Sleep-Wake Rhythm.- 4 Pharmacology of the Catecholaminergic System.- 5 The Serotoninergic System and Sleep-Wakefulness Regulation.- 6 Pharmacology of the Histaminergic System.- 7 Pharmacology of the Cholinergic System.- 8 Pharmacology of the GABAergic/Benzodiazepine System.- 9 Pharmacology of the CNS Peptides.- 10 Hormones and Sleep.- 11 Pharmacology of the Adenosine System.- 12 Methodological Issues in Pharmacological Studies of Sleep.- 13 Hypnotic Drugs.- 14 Anxiolytic Drugs.- 15 Stimulant Drugs.- 16 Neuroleptics, Antihistamines and Antiparkinsonian Drugs: Effects on Sleep.- 17 Antidepressant and Antimanic Drugs.- 18 Anticonvulsant Drugs.- 19 Mechanisms of Benzodiazepine Drug Dependence.- 20 Sleep Disturbances as Side Effects of Therapeutic Drugs.