> This has implications for Alzheimer's and dementia.

Long term use of drugs that interact with the GABA-A receptor have been known to be associated with dementia risk for a very long time.

Zolpidem (Ambien) isn't indicated for long-term use, but there are some doctors who ignore this and prescribe long-term. It's rare, though.

I think some people are drawing narrow conclusions from the use of Zolpidem in this study. They're not saying Zolpidem uniquely causes this problem, they're just showing that Zolpidem was one way to trigger this. It's like a property of many sedative hypnotics and quite possibly other types of sleep aids, too. Demonizing Zolpidem isn't the point of this study.

Including Alcohol?

> Zolpidem (Ambien) suppresses this cleaning process by interfering with norepinephrine pulses

Forever or only when taken ? (I can only read the abstract)

> implications for Alzheimer's

every other neuroscience paper has that coda

Question -- will pharma companies try and slander downplay this article?

Seems like this is an issue for the company that makes Ambien but an opportunity for everyone else in that industry (and for patients)

Why do that when they can sell you even more drugs. Need the glymphowhatever to happily walk down a beach? Try Ambien-G.

There really are no medications on the market indicated for long term use to help with sleep.

Often doctors prescribe low dose Seroquel, but that has its own laundry lists of problems.

There is, it’s called weed and is dirt cheap. Might not work for everyone. Might also be illegal at your location.

It also has its adverse effects with long term use.

-someone who has spent a few years now fighting between Seroquel and Weed, assuming the other is the worse choice always.

If you google the article, you see very little mention of Ambien or Zolpidem (edit)

It's mentioned in the abstract and 45 times in the article. Most scientists don't use the brand name of a drug.

Went to look up Ambien's company's stock. Google Gemini is hallucinating like crazy:

> Cosette Pharmaceuticals is permanently closed, so there is no stock for the company.

> Cosette Pharmaceuticals was a pharmaceutical company that manufactured topical creams, ointments, oral liquids, and suppositories. They had facilities in New Jersey and North Carolina.

No, Google. They're just a private company.

Thanks, Google.

Beyond this, I can't imagine this drug will be something people will want to continue taking. It was already posited to not be good for Alzheimer's, and now they have a smoking gun for a plausible mechanism.

The other day, I asked Gemini for suggestions on "sunny places in Latin America to visit in January," it recommended Miami.

I'm done with it for another 6 months again.

> Went to look up Ambien's company's stock.

Ambien has been generic for a very long time. It's not an expensive drug.

It's also not even indicated for long-term nightly use. You can find stories online of people who get continuous prescriptions from their doctor, but doing so is a rare practice. Most doctors are nervous to prescribe any drug of this class right now. When they do, it's only for short-term or occasional use.

I don't think this is really a pitchforks-out moment against drug companies.

It's one study, on mice. This is the beginning of a long chain where more studies are done -> a consensus is formed -> doctors start to hear about the consensus and take it into account prescribing it

It could plausibly be 20 years before that plays out

still needs a plain word version of what "norepinephrine pulses" are supposed to be.

norepinephrine = primary neurotransmitter for the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight). Mostly produced in brain stem/adrenal glands.

Norepinephrine is a hormone which triggers motions of the blood vessels to support the transport of cellular waste products out of the brain.

musk takes Ambien; explains a few things

hey, not everything has to do with musk - he's already enough places without your post.

He's already got enough sycophants, too.

He is one of the best Diablo players in the world. You gotta respect that /s