| Chapter title |
Benzodiazepines
|
|---|---|
| Chapter number | 425 |
| Book title |
Non-medical and illicit use of psychoactive drugs
|
| Published in |
Current topics in behavioral neurosciences, December 2015
|
| DOI | 10.1007/7854_2015_425 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Book ISBNs |
978-3-31-960014-7, 978-3-31-960016-1
|
| Authors |
Nielsen, Suzanne, Suzanne Nielsen |
| Abstract |
Benzodiazepines have been in clinical use since the 1960s. Benzodiazepines act through allosteric modulation of the GABAA receptor to enhance the activity of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, resulting in a slowing of neurotransmission and sedative and anxiolytic effects. Initially benzodiazepines were thought to have low dependence liability, though over time there has been increasing evidence of benzodiazepine dependence. Benzodiazepines are commonly used to treat anxiety and insomnia, though increasingly they are considered second line treatments for most indications. Concerns about the effects of benzodiazepines on cognition, falls and their implication in opioid related mortality have emerged. Few pharmacological treatments for benzodiazepine dependence have been shown to be effective with gradual taper the most common treatment strategy for benzodiazepine dependence. |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 118 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Bachelor | 13 | 11% |
| Student > Master | 9 | 8% |
| Researcher | 5 | 4% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 4 | 3% |
| Other | 2 | 2% |
| Other | 5 | 4% |
| Unknown | 80 | 68% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Dentistry | 19 | 16% |
| Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science | 4 | 3% |
| Chemistry | 4 | 3% |
| Nursing and Health Professions | 3 | 3% |
| Neuroscience | 2 | 2% |
| Other | 2 | 2% |
| Unknown | 84 | 71% |