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AssigneeUniversity of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
InventorsGeorgina Cano, Alan F. Sved
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The present invention relates to the use of an Angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor blocker for promoting sleep and/or the treatment of insomnia. It is based, at least in part, on the results of experiments performed using a validated rat model of stress-induced insomnia in which candesartan was found to ameliorate sleep disturbances induced by stress. Further, it was observed that this effect seems to be caused by blockade of AT1 receptors located in several brain regions that are key components of the neural circuitry activated during insomnia. In contrast to currently marketed treatments for insomnia, the AT1 receptor blocker was found to restore normal sleep without inhibiting REM sleep and/or inducing atypical wave components in the EEG.
A method for treating primary insomnia in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of at least one AT1 receptor blocker that promotes sleep, wherein the therapeutically effective amount is at least about 50% lower than a dosage of the AT1 receptor blocker for treating hypertension, wherein the AT1 receptor blocker is selected from the group consisting of azilsartan, candesartan, and combinations thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.