Now, however, thanks to research by Dr. neuroscientist David Carley, Ph.D., of University of Illinois at Chicago Center for Sleep and Ventilatory Disorders in Chicago, and neuroscientist Jerome Siegel, Ph.D., from UCLA's Center for Sleep Research, there may be an easier method of treatment.
The drug Remeron (generic name mirtazapine) currently used to treat depression, has showed promise in reducing the number of apneas per night. Remeron is thought to work by adjusting the balance of the brain's natural chemical messengers, especially norepinephrine and serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in sleep and depression.
Drs. Carley and Siegel, in a recent study, saw, on average, a 50% reduction in the number of apneas per night in patients taking mirtazapine.
"This has never been shown before, that a pill could actually improve apnea in 100 percent of the patients," Carley said.
The drug manipulates serotonin and this appears to keep patients breathing normally throughout the night.
"We think that we’re at the beginning of a new wave of exploration of new and hopefully more effective drugs that will benefit these patients," Dr. Carley said.
Remeron (mirtazapine) is prescribed for the treatment of major depression, again often caused by a lack of serotonin.
Although the drug does have FDA approval for treating depression, more research and further studies are needed before it's approved for the treatment of sleep apnea.
