Sleep Aid Revives Unconscious?

A traditional drug to treat insomnia shows surprising promise in awaking minimally conscious patients.

Written byJef Akst

| 1 min read

Listen with Speechify

0:00

1:00

FLICKR, DAN4TH NICHOLAS

Ambien, and its generic counterpart zolpidem, have long been used to help sleepless people get a good night’s rest. But over the past 12 years, anecdotal reports have suggested the drugs may serve another purpose—reviving minimally conscious coma patients.

The first report was almost too amazing to believe, and as such, didn’t receive the credence that maybe it should have. In 1999, Louis Viljoen was hit by a truck and declared vegetative, kept alive by machines for three years before his doctor prescribed him zolpidem thinking it might stop him from clawing his mattress in the middle of the night. Twenty minutes after receiving his first dose, he woke up and started talking to his mother. He floated in and out of consciousness over the ...

Interested in reading more?

The Scientist ARCHIVES

Become a Member of

Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!

Join for free today

Already a member?

Add The Scientist as a preferred Google source to see more of our trusted coverage.

Meet the Author

Jef Akst
Go to The Scientist's LinkedIn Page
Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
View Full Profile