These new medications -- known as dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORA) -- target a more specific region of the brain than popular sleep drugs such as Ambien and Lunesta, promoting sleep without affecting learning and memory (also called "cognition"), according to the new research.Yes well that's very nice and all, but the cognitive effects of orexin depletion don't manifest for a couple decades. And monkeys can't tell you they want to commit suicide.
"We've shown that these compounds improve sleep at doses that don't impact cognition," said Jason Uslaner, lead author of a study published in the April 3 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
...
DORA-22 did not lead to the same mental impairments as the other three drugs. Rhesus monkeys and rats performed just as well on memory and attention tasks shortly after being administered DORA-22 as they did on an inactive placebo.
Dr. Siegel agrees- this drug will likely cause depression in patients using it.
Siegel noted that orexin antagonists are now being developed by several drug companies for use as sleeping pills. The current work suggests that these drugs will alter mood as well sleep tendency.
Hopefully someone will get a clue before it's approved and a bunch of unsuspecting people kill themselves. Like Chantix.
