Anesthesia Antidote May Help Treat Extreme Sleep Disorder

A disorder that causes extreme sleepiness may be better treated with a drug commonly used to counter the effects of a Valium overdose, researchers said.

Primary hypersomnia is linked to a substance that boosts the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter that limits excess brain activity and leads to the drowsiness, said David Rye, the lead author of a study published today in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Patients are usually prescribed stimulants, though they don’t work well, he said.