Three Cases of Zolpidem Dependence Treated with Fluoxetine: The Serotonin Hypothesis

Zolpidem is an Imidazopyridine hypnotic that is believed to act selectively at al subunit-containing gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors and thus to have minimal abuse and dependence potential. We present three cases of Zolpidem abuse and dependence in which the drug was used not for se...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	The world journal of biological psychiatry Vol. 4; no. 2; pp. 93 - 96
Main Authors:	Liappas, Ioannis A., Malitass, Petros N., Dimopouloss, Nikolaos P., Gitsas, Olympia E., Liappass, Alexandros I., Nikolaous, Chrisoula K., Christodoulous, Georgios N.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England Informa UK Ltd 2003 Taylor & Francis
Subjects:	abuse Adult dependence Female fluoxetine Fluoxetine - therapeutic use GABA Agonists - adverse effects gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - metabolism Humans Male Pyridines - adverse effects Serotonin - metabolism Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - therapeutic use Substance-Related Disorders - drug therapy Substance-Related Disorders - etiology Treatment Outcome zolpidem
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	Zolpidem is an Imidazopyridine hypnotic that is believed to act selectively at al subunit-containing gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors and thus to have minimal abuse and dependence potential. We present three cases of Zolpidem abuse and dependence in which the drug was used not for sedation but for stimulation and anxiolysis. All of the patients were treated with fluoxetine (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) and managed to discontinue the abuse and remain abstinent from the drug. The efficacy of this kind of medication on the abuse of a GABAergic agonist, in this case dependence on zolpidem, leads to a serotonergic and GABAergic system interaction hypothesis.
ISSN:	1562-2975 1814-1412
DOI:	10.3109/15622970309167957