A peer-reviewed, evidence-based journal for clinicians in the field of neuroscience
Issue link: https://innovationscns.epubxp.com/i/822795
Innovations in CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE [ V O L U M E 1 4 , N U M B E R 3 – 4 , M A R C H – A P R I L 2 0 1 7 ] 30 ABSTRACT Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the neuroendocrine, autonomic, and metabolic system responses to suvorexant in psychiatric subjects with insomnia. Design: This prospective study was conducted in Kusatsu Hospital in Hiroshima, Japan and included 40 psychiatric inpatients treated with suvorexant from December 2014 to April 2016. Methods: Questionnaire of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores were checked at baseline, Week 2, and Week 4, and fasting serum levels of prolactin, insulin, cortisol, noradrenaline, white blood cell count, and average pulse rate were measured at baseline and Week 4 and Week 8 after suvorexant initiation. Sequential change of the values were compared against baseline respectively. Results: Subjective sleep quality scores were significantly decreased at Weeks 2 and 4, and sleep duration, habitual sleep efficacy, and global scores were significantly decreased at Week 4 from baseline. Total scores on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 significantly decreased at Week 4 from baseline. The levels of cortisol and white blood cell count were decreased, significantly at Week 8, and the levels of pulse rate were significantly decreased at Week 4 from baseline. The levels of noradrenaline decreased, although not significantly. The prolactin levels remained unchanged, and no trend was found in the insulin levels. Conclusion: Suvorexant treatment resulted in overall improvement in the quality of sleep and the severity of anxiety and depression. This dual orexin antagonist may be related to autonomic functions and neuroendocrine systems, especially in the hypothalamus-pituitary- adrenal axis in psychiatric subjects. INTRODUCTION The hypothalamus plays a critical role in the integrated control of sleep/wakefulness, thermogenesis, and energy homeostasis, and the lateral hypothalamus area (LHA) in this region has been regarded as an important center for arousal and feeding. 1 The neuropeptide orexin A and orexin B (also known as hypocretin 1 and hypocretin 2, respectively) were initially identified as endogenous ligands for two orphan G- protein-coupled receptors exclusively expressed in the LHA neurons. 2,3 Orexin- by MASARU NAKAMURA, MD, PhD, and TAKAHIKO NAGAMINE, MD, PhD Dr. Nakamura is with the Department of Psychiatric Internal Medicine, Kosekai-Kusatsu Hospital, in Hiroshima, Japan, and Dr. Nagamine is with the Department of Psychiatric Internal Medicine, Sunlight Brain Research Center, in Yamaguchi, Japan. Innov Clin Neurosci. 2017;14(3–4):30–37 FUNDING: No funding was received for the preparation of this article. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES: The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this article. ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE TO: Dr Masaru Nakamura, MD, PhD, 10-1, Kusatsu-Umegadai, Nishi Ward, Hiroshima City, Japan, Tel: 082-277-1001; Fax: 082-277-1008 E-mail: info@kusatsu-hp.or.jp KEY WORDS: Autonomic nervous, insomnia, neuroendocrine, orexin antagonist, psychiatry, suvorexant O R I G I N A L R E S E A R C H Neuroendocrine, Autonomic, and Metabolic Responses to an Orexin Antagonist, Suvorexant, in Psychiatric Patients with Insomnia