Cognitive Behavioral Therapies for Insomnia and Hypnotic Medications

Effects of cognitive training and behavior modification on aggressive behavior and sleep quality in schizophrenia

Background

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is linked to a heightened risk of impulsive aggression and disturbances in sleep patterns. Cognitive and social cognitive impairments have been connected to aggression, with social cognitive deficits appearing to play a more immediate role. In this investigation, we conducted a retrospective analysis of the impact of cognitive training and sleep interventions on aggressive behavior and the quality of sleep among individuals with SCZ who were hospitalized.

Methods

This study divided 80 hospitalized patients into two groups according to medical advice, namely the normal group and the study group. The control group received routine drug treatment and education; The research group implemented cognitive training and sleep intervention based on the normal group. Collect basic clinical data, aggressive behavior indicators, and sleep quality indicators.

Results

There is no difference in the basic information statistics between the two groups. Both groups can reduce aggressive behavior and improve sleep quality. In the study group, there was a notable decrease in aggressive behavior compared to the control group. Furthermore, the sleep quality in the study group exhibited significant improvement when compared to the control group.

Conclusion

Cognitive training and sleep intervention have been proven to be effective nonpharmacological treatments, effectively reducing aggressive behavior and improving sleep quality.

Insomnia management in Dutch general practice: a routine care database study

OBJECTIVE

To explore insomnia management in general practice, with a focus on sleep medication prescription.

DESIGN

Descriptive analysis of anonymized routine general practice care data extracted from electronic medical records (EMRs), including demographics, free text annotations from sleep consultations and sleep medication prescriptions covering one year before up to two years after the registration of the International Classification for Primary Care (ICPC) code P06 'Sleep disturbance'.

SETTING

Twenty-one general practices in an urban area of the Netherlands.

PATIENTS

Adults (18-85 year) with a first sleep consultation with their GP.

OUTCOMES

Documented non-pharmacological and sleep medication treatment.

RESULTS

Of the 1,089 patients who consulted their general practitioner (GP) for sleep disturbance for the first time, about 50% had one more sleep consultation during the two years follow-up. Over two years including the first consultation, GPs documented a non-pharmacological intervention for 48.4% of the patients and prescribed sleep medication to 77.0%. 64.6% of the patients received a sleep medication prescription in the first consultation. Among patients receiving medication (N = 838); 59.6% received more than one prescription; 76.8% received one or more short-acting benzodiazepine receptor agonist (BZRA), 39.5% one or more unrecommended drugs and 14.7% >180 pills of BZRAs in two years.

CONCLUSION

Although the guidelines advocate non-pharmacological treatment and warn against unwarranted sleep medication, it is still very common in Dutch general practice to prescribe medication, even at the first sleep consultation. Prescriptions frequently include unrecommended and off-label drugs or repeated BZRA prescriptions.

World sleep society international sleep medicine guidelines position statement endorsement of "behavioral and psychological treatments for chronic insomnia disorder in adults: An American Academy of sleep medicine clinical practice guidelines"

This paper summarizes the position statement of the World Sleep Society (WSS) International Guidelines Committee regarding the Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Behavioral and Psychological Treatments for Chronic Insomnia Disorder in Adults prepared by a task force of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). The practice guidelines were reviewed for their relevance and applicability to the practice of sleep medicine around the world. The WSS Work Group endorsed the AASM strong recommendation for Multicomponent Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as the treatment of choice for Insomnia Disorder and conditional endorsement for its single-therapy components (sleep restriction, stimulus control, relaxation); use of sleep hygiene education as single therapy was not endorsed due to lack of evidence for its efficacy. The strong recommendation for multicomponent CBT-I applied to patients with chronic insomnia disorder with or without comorbid psychiatric and medical conditions. Main caveats with regard to CBT-I remains the lack of adequately trained therapists and variability in terms of training available in different parts of the world. Unanswered questions about the applicability, availability, accessibility and potential sociodemographic (age, sex, ethnicity, regions) moderators of treatment outcomes were discussed. Despite growing evidence documenting the benefits of digital CBT-I, individual, in-person CBT-I delivered by a trained professional (mental health) provider is regarded as the optimal method to deliver CBT-I.

Sleep Disturbance in Tourette's Disorder: Potential Underlying Mechanisms

Purpose of review

Sleep disturbance is common in TD. However, our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved is preliminary. This review summarizes findings from neuroimaging, genetic, and animal studies to elucidate potential underlying mechanisms of sleep disruption in TD.

Recent findings

Preliminary neuroimaging research indicates increased activity in the premotor cortex, and decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex is associated with NREM sleep in TD. Striatal dopamine exhibits a circadian rhythm; and is influenced by the suprachiasmatic nucleus via multiple molecular mechanisms. Conversely, dopamine receptors regulate circadian function and striatal expression of circadian genes. The association of TD with restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movements indicates shared pathophysiology, including iron deficiency, and variants in the BTDB9 gene. A mutations in the L-Histidine Decarboxylase gene in TD, suggests the involvement of the histaminergic system, implicated in arousal, in TD.

Summary

These biological markers have implications for application of novel, targeted interventions, including noninvasive neuromodulation, iron supplementation, histamine receptor antagonists, and circadian-based therapies for tic symptoms and/or sleep and circadian rhythms in TD.

Hypnotic Medications as an Adjunct Treatment to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the universally recommended treatment of choice for insomnia disorder based on its safety and posttreatment durability of benefit. However, CBT-I does not help all patients achieve remission. The second most evidence-based treatment, hypnotic pharmacotherapy (PCT), does not resolve perpetuating factors of insomnia, resulting in potential waning of benefit and dependence. This article presents a rationale that supports consideration of hypnotic augmentation of CBT-I (COMB), along with a review of select randomized controlled trials relevant to clinical decision-making.

The impact of physical activity on objective sleep of people with insomnia

The aim of our study was to investigate if physical activity has a beneficial impact on insomnia. A systematic literature review was conducted in PubMed database using the terms "Physical activity" and "Insomnia" and 591 records were retrieved. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines were followed and fifteen articles were considered eligible for further analysis. Participants were mainly female, between 40 and 60 years; design studies were variable and most studies involved long-term interventions; insomnia definition was mainly based on diagnostic criteria or considered a specific cut-off point of well-known insomnia questionnaires; sleep was mostly assessed with polysomnography (PSG) or actigraphy; physical activity interventions included different methodologies (predominantly treadmill exercise). A beneficial effect of physical activity on insomnia was observed in most studies when sleep was evaluated with PSG or actigraphy. Sleep efficiency was the objective sleep parameter that mainly provided statistically significant results, as expected, followed by sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset and, less frequently, total sleep time. Using objective methods to assess sleep in insomnia might be useful to support subjective insomnia complaints and to evaluate the efficacy of physical activity interventions in ameliorating sleep of people with insomnia.

Weighted blankets for sleep problems - prescription, use and cost analysis

BACKGROUND

Weighted blankets (WBs) have been suggested as a treatment option for insomnia and are commonly prescribed despite lack of evidence of efficacy.

AIM

To investigate prescription pattern, return rate and cost of WBs.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This observational cohort register-based study in western Sweden included every individual who, in a 2.5-year period, was prescribed and received at least one WB (n = 4092). A cost evaluation was made by mapping prescription processes for WBs and sleep medication.

RESULTS

Individuals diagnosed with dementia, anxiety, autism or intellectual disability (ID) retained the WB longer than others. Individuals younger than six and older than 65 years had shorter use time. The cost evaluation showed that the prescription process for WBs was longer and resulted in a higher cost than for sleep medication.

CONCLUSIONS

Some individuals had longer use time, indicating a possible benefit from using a WB. Due to low risk of harm but high economic cost, a revision of the WBs prescription process could be recommended to identify those who might benefit from WB.

SIGNIFICANCE

Our result points towards a need for revision of the prescription process, to implement standardized sleep assessments, and create a more efficient prescription process to lower the cost.

Effectiveness of low-dose amitriptyline and mirtazapine for insomnia disorder: study protocol of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in general practice (the DREAMING study)

INTRODUCTION

For over more than a decade, low-dose amitriptyline and mirtazapine are prescribed off-label for insomnia. However, placebo-controlled evidence on these antidepressants for insomnia is still lacking. Therefore, the present trial aims to assess the effectiveness of low-dose amitriptyline (10-20 mg/day) and mirtazapine (7.5-15 mg/day) in patients with insomnia disorder with difficulty maintaining sleep or early-morning awakening problems in general practice.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The Drug REdiscovery: low-dose Amitriptyline and Mirtazapine for INsomnia disorder in General practice (DREAMING) study is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in about 50 general practices. Adults (18-85 years) with insomnia disorder (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5) who ask their general practitioner (GP) for sleep medication when non-pharmacological treatment is deemed not effective, are eligible.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

isolated sleep initiation problem, contraindications for or drug-drug interactions with either amitriptyline or mirtazapine. Participants (n=156) will be randomly assigned to three parallel treatment groups of 16-week treatment with either amitriptyline (one or two tablets of 10 mg/day) or mirtazapine (one or two tablets of 7.5 mg/day) or placebo (one or two tablets) alongside usual GP care. All participants start and end with single dose, but dose can be doubled following GP consultation in week 3. Questionnaire assessments will be conducted at baseline, week 6, 12, 20 and 52. The primary study outcome is self-reported insomnia severity at 6 weeks, measured with the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) in an intention to treat analysis. Secondary outcomes include subjective sleep quality quantified by sleep indices, daytime functioning and symptoms, safety and treatment evaluation and other sleep care consumption.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The Medical Ethics Committee of the VU Medical Centre Amsterdam approved this trial. The results of this trial will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented at relevant academic conferences and to key stakeholders.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NTR7449.

[Options to enhance the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy of insomnia]

Cognitive-behavior therapy of insomnia (CBT-I) is first-line treatment for insomnia, but it produces a clinical significant result only in 60-80% of patients. Addition reason of reduction of CBT-I efficacy is a relatively low adherence: the attrition rate is 10-39%. The authors discuss options to enhance efficacy of the therapy by usage of complex approach, individualized choice of technics, motivating a patient and his relatives, and combination of CBT-I with hypnotics.

Cannabinoids in the Treatment of Insomnia Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Insomnia is associated with significant comorbidity, disability and impact on quality of life and, despite advances in pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, remains a significant burden to society. Cannabinoids are gaining acceptance for use as medicines in the treatment of insomnia disorder.

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of cannabinoids in the treatment of insomnia disorder.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review of the PubMed, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature Complete databases from inception to 5 December 2019, and again prior to data abstraction, for studies of cannabis-based products for the treatment of insomnia disorder in adults. Inclusion criteria were (1) clinical studies, (2) participants aged ≥ 18 years, (3) insomnia disorder either formally diagnosed against contemporaneous diagnostic criteria or quantified with validated instruments and (4) compared cannabis-based products with the standard of care, placebo or a sedative. No language restrictions were imposed. Non-primary research, animal studies and studies of cannabis-induced insomnia were excluded. Risk of bias was assessed using the RoB 2 tool for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies-of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool for non-randomized trials. Heterogeneity was assessed with the I² statistic.

RESULTS

A total of five studies (two RCTs and three non-randomised studies) with 219 study participants were included, of which three could be combined. The three non-randomised studies contributed data on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Questionnaire score, showing a favourable effect of cannabinoids at ≤ 4 weeks of follow-up (mean difference - 1.89 [95% confidence interval {CI} - 2.68 to - 1.10]; n = 176) and at 8 weeks of follow-up (mean difference - 2.41 [95% CI - 3.36 to - 1.46]; n = 166). One double-blind crossover RCT (n = 32) reported that, compared with amitriptyline, nabilone-a synthetic analogue to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-improved Insomnia Severity Index scores after 2 weeks of treatment (adjusted difference - 3.25 [95% CI - 5.26 to - 1.24]) and resulted in a more restful sleep as a sub-measure of the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire (LSEQ) (difference 0.48 [95% CI 0.01-0.95]) but with no effect on overall sleep quality as measured by the LSEQ. In a single ascending-dose RCT (n = 9), THC reduced sleep-onset latency compared with placebo at 10 mg, 20 mg and 30 mg doses (mean difference - 43.00 min [95% CI - 82.76 to - 3.24], - 62.00 [95% CI - 103.60 to - 20.40] and - 54.00 [95% CI - 103.93 to - 4.07], respectively). All the included studies were assessed as poor quality, mainly due to small sample sizes, short treatment periods, uncertain clinical significance and high risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Few studies have examined the efficacy of cannabinoids in the treatment of insomnia disorder. Despite some possible signals for efficacy, the heterogeneity of participants, interventions, efficacy outcomes and results, and the high risk of bias across included trials, do not reliably inform evidence-based practice. This review highlights shortcomings in the existing literature, including lack of diagnostic clarity, poorly defined participant groups, non-standardised interventions and studies of inappropriate design, duration and power to detect clinically meaningful outcomes. Further research in the form of high-quality RCTs are required before drawing any conclusions about the efficacy of cannabinoids in the treatment of insomnia disorder.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO registration number, CRD42020161043.

Impact of Pharmacist-Led Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Chronic Insomnia

Background

Chronic insomnia is a common medical condition that negatively impacts quality of life and daytime function. Access to the first-line treatment for insomnia, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT-i), is limited. Pharmacists are well positioned to provide this service, but evidence regarding pharmacist delivered CBT-i is sparse. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of CBT-i delivered by pharmacists practicing in an outpatient clinic setting.

Methods

This study was a retrospective chart audit of adult patients with chronic insomnia who received CBT-i from a pharmacist at one of two outpatient clinics in Canada. The primary endpoints were the differences between patient self-reported sleep diary parameters and utilization of hypnotic medications before and after CBT-i was delivered. The differences in patient reported sleep parameters were compared using Wilcoxon Signed Rank test and paired samples t-test and changes in hypnotic utilization was compared using McNemar Chi-square test.

Results

183 patients were referred for CBT-i and attended an initial appointment with a pharmacist. Of these, 105 did not receive the CBT-i. This resulted in 78 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Changes in sleep diary parameters were all statistically significantly improved after patients received CBT-i, except for total sleep time. Hypnotic medication use was also reduced. At baseline, 71.8% (n=56/78) of patients were taking one or more hypnotic medications compared to 52.6% (n=41/78) after CBT-i (p=0.0003).

Discussion

The results of this study provide preliminary evidence that pharmacists working in an outpatient clinic setting may be able to effectively deliver CBT-i for patients with chronic insomnia. The external validity of these results is limited by the observational study design and the inclusion of pharmacists practicing in outpatient clinics, which is not the setting where most pharmacists currently practice.

Conclusion

This observational study found improvements in sleep quality and efficiency, as well as, a reduction in hypnotic medication use, in patients who received CBT-i from pharmacists practicing in an outpatient clinic setting. Future randomized, controlled trials should evaluate the impact of CBT-i in a larger sample of patients, provided by pharmacists practicing in both outpatient clinics and community pharmacies.

Sleep in PTSD: treatment approaches and outcomes

The high incidence of sleep disturbance associated with trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) points to the need for effective sleep interventions for trauma survivors. The present review focuses on recent psychotherapeutic, pharmacological, and sleep medicine treatment approaches for sleep disturbances in PTSD. Findings highlight that targeted sleep interventions can ameliorate sleep symptoms and mitigate daytime PTSD symptoms. Attention has turned to the role of multidisciplinary and integrative approaches, as comprehensive treatment for sleep disturbances in PTSD is likely to require innovative assessment modalities and multiple interventions. A method for compressing these components into a treatment plan acceptable to most PTSD-diagnosed patients remains to be developed.