Psychosomatic Medicine Faster Service from Outside North America
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Nagayama, H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Nagayama, H.
Related Collections
Right arrow Pharmacology
Right arrow Sleep and Biological Rhythms
Right arrow Reviews
Psychosomatic Medicine 61:618-629 (1999)
© 1999 American Psychosomatic Society

SPECIAL ISSUE: PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND PSYCHOSOMATIC RESEARCH

Influences of Biological Rhythms on the Effects of Psychotropic Drugs

Haruo Nagayama, MD, PhD

From the Department of Neuropsychiatry, Oita Medical University, Oita, Japan.

Address reprint requests to: Haruo Nagayama, MD, PhD, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Oita Medical University, Hasama-machi, Oita-gun, Oita 879-5593, Japan. Email: nagayama{at}Oita-med.ac.jp

The efficacy of psychotropic drugs varies depending on the time of administration. This phenomenon is observed with antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and psychostimulants. The presence or absence of this phenomenon and the rhythm phase in the efficacy of each drug varies depending on the drug, dose, parameter measured, animal species, and strain. A recent study demonstrating circannual changes in the phases of circadian rhythm of drug efficacy suggests that discrepancies between studies may be considerably explained by the presence of a circannual rhythm. The rhythms in drug effects are suggested not to be due to rhythmic changes in the pharmacokinetics of the drugs but rather to an endogenous rhythm in drug susceptibility resulting from a circadian rhythm in the intracerebral neurotransmission system. The presence of this phenomenon and its law have been demonstrated to a considerable extent in animals, but corresponding clinical reports in humans remain insufficient despite its clinical importance. Further study in humans is certainly warranted.

Key Words: psychotropic drug • circadian rhythm • chronopharmacology • biological rhythm • neurotransmitter • receptor

Abbreviations: DOI = 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl-2-aminopropane hydrochloride; GABA = {gamma}-aminobutyric acid; 5-HIAA = 5-hydroxyindole aceticacid; 5-HT = serotonin; 5-MeODMT =5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyotryptamine; 8-OH-DPAT =8-hydroxy-2-(di-N-propylamino)tetralin.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Psychosom. Med.Home page
O. G. Cameron
Psychopharmacology
Psychosom Med, September 1, 1999; 61(5): 585 - 590.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1999 by the American Psychosomatic Society