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Benzodiazepines

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Book cover Non-medical and illicit use of psychoactive drugs

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences ((CTBN,volume 34))

Abstract

Benzodiazepines have been in clinical use since the 1960s. Benzodiazepines act through allosteric modulation of the GABAA receptor to enhance the activity of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, resulting in a slowing of neurotransmission and sedative and anxiolytic effects. Initially benzodiazepines were thought to have low dependence liability, though over time there has been increasing evidence of benzodiazepine dependence. Benzodiazepines are commonly used to treat anxiety and insomnia, though increasingly they are considered second line treatments for most indications. Concerns about the effects of benzodiazepines on cognition, falls and their implication in opioid related mortality have emerged. Few pharmacological treatments for benzodiazepine dependence have been shown to be effective with gradual taper the most common treatment strategy for benzodiazepine dependence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW, 22–32 King Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia

    Suzanne Nielsen

  2. South East Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) Drug and Alcohol Services, 591-623 S Dowling St, Surry Hills, NSW, 2010, Australia

    Suzanne Nielsen

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  1. Suzanne Nielsen
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Correspondence to Suzanne Nielsen .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    Suzanne Nielsen

  2. University of Tasmania School of Psychology, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia

    Raimondo Bruno

  3. Victoria University of Wellington School of Psychology, Wellington, New Zealand

    Susan Schenk

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Nielsen, S. (2015). Benzodiazepines. In: Nielsen, S., Bruno, R., Schenk, S. (eds) Non-medical and illicit use of psychoactive drugs. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, vol 34. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2015_425

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