The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology
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Int. J. Neuropsychopharmacol. · Aug 2016
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyA Phase II Dose-Ranging Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of the Orexin Receptor Antagonist Filorexant (MK-6096) in Patients with Primary Insomnia.
Filorexant (MK-6096) is an orexin receptor antagonist; here, we evaluate the efficacy of filorexant in the treatment of insomnia in adults. ⋯ Orexin receptor antagonism by filorexant significantly improved sleep efficiency in nonelderly patients with insomnia. Dose-related improvements in sleep onset and maintenance outcomes were also observed with filorexant.
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Int. J. Neuropsychopharmacol. · Aug 2016
ReviewGrowing up in a Bubble: Using Germ-Free Animals to Assess the Influence of the Gut Microbiota on Brain and Behavior.
There is a growing recognition of the importance of the commensal intestinal microbiota in the development and later function of the central nervous system. Research using germ-free mice (mice raised without any exposure to microorganisms) has provided some of the most persuasive evidence for a role of these bacteria in gut-brain signalling. Key findings show that the microbiota is necessary for normal stress responsivity, anxiety-like behaviors, sociability, and cognition. ⋯ However, a germ-free upbringing can induce permanent neurodevelopmental deficits that may deem the model unsuitable for specific scientific queries that do not involve early-life microbial deficiency. As such, alternatives and complementary strategies to the germ-free model are warranted and include antibiotic treatment to create microbiota-deficient animals at distinct time points across the lifespan. Increasing our understanding of the impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behavior has the potential to inform novel management strategies for stress-related gastrointestinal and neuropsychiatric disorders.