Kappa opiod receptor antagonists for treating pain-related sleep disorders
AssigneeArizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona
InventorsFrank Porreca, Hisakatsu Ito, Edita Navratilova
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Abstract
Chronic pain patients complain about sleep disturbance with a high probability, while sleep loss increases pain in chronic pain patients. Sleep problems and pain promote a vicious spiral, suggesting a need for simultaneous treatment of both. The present invention provides a method to treat pain-related sleep disorders through distribution of a therapeutic amount of a KOR antagonist. The use of KOR antagonist could be a novel therapeutic agent for sleep disturbance in chronic pain patients. Additionally, KOR antagonists could be used to improve sleep in other conditions, such as depression or general anxiety disorder, where KOR signaling is induced.
Claims30
A method of treating a secondary sleep disturbance induced by chronic pain in a subject in need of such treatment, said method comprising administering a therapeutic amount of an opioid receptor antagonist, thereby simultaneously treating both the secondary sleep disturbance and the chronic pain.
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A method of treating a condition that causes an increase in kappa opioid receptor (KOR) signalling in a subject in need of such treatment, a method comprising administering a therapeutic amount of an opioid receptor antagonist.
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A method of treating an age-related sleep disturbance in a subject in need of such treatment, said method comprising administering a therapeutic amount of an opioid receptor antagonist.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.