Additionally, there was no evidence of next-day residual effects (i.e., recall memory, level of alertness and concentration) in patients taking ramelteon.
WHO: Thomas Roth, PhD, director of the Sleep Disorders and Research Center, Detroit, Mich.
HOW: Ramelteon works through a novel mechanism of action, targeting receptors in an area of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN. The SCN regulates 24-hour biological rhythms including the sleep-wake cycle and is also called the body's "master clock."
WHY: An estimated 60 million people in the U.S. suffer from insomnia, and approximately half of all older adults experience one or more symptoms of insomnia at least a few nights per week.
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