# A Novel Mechanism for Helping Older Adults Discontinue Use of Sleeping Pills

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2020 · $313,764

## Abstract

The use of hypnotics such as benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine receptor agonists (z-drugs), is
associated with impaired cognition in older adults. Some studies suggest that benzodiazepine discontinuation
is associated with improvement in cognitive domains such as memory, psychomotor speed, attention, and
concentration and reduced risk of incident Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia. Sustained hypnotic
discontinuation rates, however, are suboptimal, even when patients receive the gold standard treatment for
insomnia, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI), combined with a supervised gradual tapering of
the hypnotic. In our current “Sleep Without Insomnia or The use of Chronic Hypnotics (SWITCH)” trial
(R01AG057929), we are testing the efficacy of a new program, Masked Taper plus cognitive behavioral
therapy-augmented program (MTcap), for improving hypnotic discontinuation success rates. We are currently
collecting cognitive outcomes using in-person, structured cognitive tests so that we can conduct pre-planned
analyses that will examine the impact of MTcap on cognition. The long-term goal of the supplemental research
is to understand the relationships between benzodiazepine/z-drug use, drug discontinuation, and insomnia and
Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia incidence. This supplement project’s objectives are to establish
the feasibility of using patient-centric cognitive testing approaches that leverage the growing use of mobile
technology among middle-aged and older adults and to explore novel measures of cognition collected through
mobile technology (i.e., digital markers of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia). The central hypothesis
is that benzodiazepines/z-drug use and insomnia impair cognition and that discontinuation of these hypnotics
and treatment of insomnia may reduce Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia incidence. The central
hypothesis will be tested in a future study, with preparatory work completed in the proposed supplemental
project focusing on cognitive testing through mobile technology. This preliminary data, using an innovative
approach, will improve our understanding of the relationships between hypnotic use, insomnia, and
Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias and offer treatment options to reducing dementia incidence.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10122792
- **Project number:** 3R01AG057929-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Constance Fung
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $313,764
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-09-15 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10122792

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10122792, A Novel Mechanism for Helping Older Adults Discontinue Use of Sleeping Pills (3R01AG057929-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10122792. Licensed CC0.

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