Sleeping aid helps recovery from stroke

A popular sleeping aid could help stroke patients recover more quickly, a new study has suggested.

According to research by the Stanford University School of Medicine, mice that had strokes saw a shorter recovery time if they were given small doses of Zolpidem – also known by its trade name Ambien.

Scientists behind the study pointed out that while it has long been known to be an effective treatment for insomnia, it has never been definitely proved that it could benefit stroke patients.

The team believes Ambien is effective because it enhances a type of nerve-cell signalling activity.

This process was enhanced even when the drug was administered at doses significantly lower than those that would be required to have a sedative effect.

Gary Steinberg, MD, PhD, professor and chair of neurosurgery at Stanford, said the scientific community had previously thought that the secretion of a neurotransmitter called GABA was detrimental after a stroke.

"But now we know that if it's the right kind of GABA signaling, it's beneficial – and we've identified an FDA-approved drug that decisively promotes the beneficial signaling," Dr Steinberg commented.