PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL ASPECTS OF BENZODIAZEPINE DEPENDENCY

Recent aspects of mechanism of benzodiazepines (BDZ) via indirect GABA-mimetic inhibitory effects at brain-specific BDZ-GABA receptors may contribute to an understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms of anxiety disorders and drug dependencies. The development of various BDZ receptor ligands with diverse psychopharmacological properties may lead to safer drugs with regard to "drug seeking" and "maintaining" properties. This paper reviews recent research of BDZ receptor pharmacology and clinical aspects of abstinence syndromes including also prospective studies.