Dopamine agonists cause less somnolence than antagonists

Dopamine partial agonists show a significant reduction in somnolence compared to D2 receptor antagonists in treating major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. This finding emerged from a recent meta-analysis presented at a clinical psychopharmacology conference. The study compared the effects of the two drug classes on somnolence or sedation. Results indicated patients taking dopamine partial agonists had a 72% lower chance of somnolence in MDD and a 57% lower chance of somnolence/sedation in schizophrenia. Researchers analyzed data from multiple clinical trials. Somnolence and sedation are known side effects of some antipsychotics, potentially impacting sleep and daily functioning for patients with these conditions.