Zolpidem for the Treatment of Dystonia
Open Access
- 17 July 2019
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Frontiers Media SA in Frontiers in Neurology
- Vol. 10, 779
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2019.00779
Abstract
Background and Purpose: There are recent reports of zolpidem being effective for the treatment of a variety of movement disorders, due to its action on the gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptors in the thalamus, subthalamic nucleus, and globus pallidus, hence facilitating inhibitory pathways in the basal ganglia motor loop. Its beneficial effects have been described for Parkinson's disease and other related disorders. The objective of this study was to assess the therapeutic effects of zolpidem for various types of dystonia. Methods: We conducted a literature search using MEDLINE via PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Results: There were no randomized controlled trials. The literature included 6 case reports, 4 case series, and 1 non-randomized, non-controlled interventional trial. Overall, 49 adult participants (range 1-34 participants) with a mean age of 49.5 years were treated. Regardless of the dystonia subtype, a single dose of zolpidem at 10 mg causes improvement of symptoms for a mean duration of 3.4 h until patient returns to baseline. The main adverse effect noted was drowsiness, which was dose-dependent. Conclusion: While the current available literature suggests that zolpidem may be an effective pharmacologic option for treating dystonia, however the quality of evidence remains limited. Larger sample size, methodological consistency, and randomized controlled trials with long-term patient follow-ups are necessary to come up with definitive conclusion.Keywords
This publication has 43 references indexed in Scilit:
- Zolpidem in Progressive Supranuclear PalsyCase Reports in Neurological Medicine, 2013
- Efficacy of zolpidem for dystonia: a study among different subtypesFrontiers in Neuroscience, 2012
- Oral Pharmacological Treatment of X-Linked Dystonia Parkinsonism: Successes and FailuresInternational Journal of Neuroscience, 2010
- Treatment strategies for dystoniaExpert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 2009
- The PRISMA Statement for Reporting Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Studies That Evaluate Health Care Interventions: Explanation and ElaborationPLoS Medicine, 2009
- A therapeutic dose of zolpidem reduces thalamic GABA in healthy volunteers: a proton MRS study at 4 TPsychopharmacology, 2009
- Improvement of blepharospasm with ZolpidemMovement Disorders, 2004
- Pharmacokinetic properties of zolpidem in elderly and young adults: possible modulation by testosterone in menBritish Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2003
- The safety and tolerability of zolpidem — an updateJournal of Psychopharmacology, 1999
- Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of ZolpidemClinical Pharmacokinetics, 1995