← Back to guidelines
Psychiatry34 papers

Sleep-related movement disorder caused by drug

Last edited: 4/10/2026

Overview

Sleep-related movement disorders can be caused by medications. Quetiapine, an atypical antipsychotic, is sometimes used off-label to treat insomnia, though its efficacy and safety for this purpose are still being evaluated 1.

Diagnosis

Management

  • Low-dose quetiapine may improve sleep quality compared to placebo 1.
  • Low-dose quetiapine may increase total sleep time compared to placebo 1.
  • Dosages of 50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg of quetiapine have shown effects on sleep 1.
  • Adverse events and discontinuation due to adverse events are common with quetiapine use 1.
  • Special Populations

  • The effects of quetiapine on sleep in the elderly require cautious interpretation due to high heterogeneity in studies 1.
  • Key Recommendations

  • Quetiapine may be effective for improving sleep quality and increasing total sleep time compared to placebo 1. (Evidence: Strong)
  • Adverse events and discontinuations due to adverse events are common with quetiapine use, warranting caution 1. (Evidence: Moderate)
  • The use of quetiapine for sleep in the elderly should be approached with caution due to high heterogeneity observed in studies 1. (Evidence: Moderate)
  • References

    1 Lin CY, Chiang CH, Tseng MM, Tam KW, Loh EW. Effects of quetiapine on sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2023. link

    Original source

    1. [1]
      Effects of quetiapine on sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.Lin CY, Chiang CH, Tseng MM, Tam KW, Loh EW European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (2023)

    HemoChat

    by SPINAI

    Evidence-based clinical decision support powered by SNOMED-CT, Neo4j GraphRAG, and NASS/AO/NICE guidelines.

    ⚕ For clinical reference only. Not a substitute for professional judgment.

    © 2026 HemoChat. All rights reserved.
    Research·Pricing·Privacy & Terms·Refund·SNOMED-CT · NASS · AO Spine · NICE · GraphRAG