Summary: According to researchers, a small cohort of MDD patients had significant improvements in sleep quality and reduced daytime sleepiness following treatment with the antidepressant Vortioxetine.
Source: Wiley.
In a study of 15 patients affected by major depressive disorder and complaining of insomnia, initiating treatment with vortioxetine for their depressive symptoms led to significant improvements in subjective sleep quality and daytime sleepiness. The British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology findings may have important clinical implications because sleep problems affect an estimated 70 to 90 percent of patients with depression.
Vortioxetine differs from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors that are prescribed to treat depression because it has a multimodal effect on serotonin transport and reuptake.
“Considering that sleep impairment is a frequent comorbid symptom in patients affected by major depressive disorder, we suggest the possible use of vortioxetin for treating depressive symptoms and improving sleep quality in patients showing comorbid depression and insomnia,” the authors wrote. “However, future studies investigating sleep by using polysomnography, the gold standard tool able to study sleep architecture, are invited in order to confirm this preliminary observation.”
Source: Josh Glickman – Wiley
Publisher: Organized by NeuroscienceNews.com.
Image Source: NeuroscienceNews.com image is in the public domain.
Original Research: Abstract for “Preliminary evidence that vortioxetine may improve sleep quality in depressed patients with insomnia: a retrospective questionnaire analysis” by C. Liguori MD, L. Ferini‐Strambi MD, PhD, F. Izzi PhD, L. Mari MD, N. Manfredi MD, A. D’Elia MD, N.B. Mercuri MD, and F. Placidi PhD in British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Published October 16 2018.
doi:10.1111/bcp.13772
[cbtabs][cbtab title=”MLA”]Wiley”Novel Antidepressants May Improve Sleep for Those With Depression.” NeuroscienceNews. NeuroscienceNews, 18 October 2018.
<https://neurosciencenews.com/depression-sleep-antidepressant-10046/>.[/cbtab][cbtab title=”APA”]Wiley(2018, October 18). Novel Antidepressants May Improve Sleep for Those With Depression. NeuroscienceNews. Retrieved October 18, 2018 from https://neurosciencenews.com/depression-sleep-antidepressant-10046/[/cbtab][cbtab title=”Chicago”]Wiley”Novel Antidepressants May Improve Sleep for Those With Depression.” https://neurosciencenews.com/depression-sleep-antidepressant-10046/ (accessed October 18, 2018).[/cbtab][/cbtabs]
Abstract
Preliminary evidence that vortioxetine may improve sleep quality in depressed patients with insomnia: a retrospective questionnaire analysis
Insomnia is a frequent symptom in depressed patients. It can present with difficulty in initiating and/or maintaining sleep. We retrospectively evaluated a group of 15 patients affected by major depressive disorder (MDD) and complaining for insomnia, who started Vortioxetine (VOR) treatment for their depressive symptoms. The following questionnaires were captured at baseline and follow‐up: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). PSQI total score significantly decreased between baseline and follow‐up (p<0.01), and in several sub‐items related to sleep quality and continuity. Moreover, ESS decreased between follow‐up and baseline (p<0.01). Finally, BDI reduction was also evident between follow‐up and baseline (p<0.01). This retrospective analysis showing the significant effect of VOR on both depressive symptoms and insomnia in patients showing comorbid MDD and insomnia invites further research in order to confirm this preliminary evidence. We hypothesize that the VOR mechanism of action may explain the improvement of subjective sleep, other than depressive symptoms.
