Buspirone is primarily used to treat generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and symptoms of anxiety. It is approved by the FDA for managing anxiety disorders or providing short-term relief of anxiety symptoms such as fear, tension, irritability, dizziness, and pounding heartbeat
. Buspirone works by balancing serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain, acting mainly as a serotonin 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist, which helps regulate mood and anxiety
. It is generally preferred over benzodiazepines because it does not have addictive properties and lacks sedative or muscle-relaxant effects
. Besides anxiety, buspirone has some evidence supporting its use in treating antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction and hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women, though it is not effective for other anxiety disorders like panic disorder or phobias
. In summary, buspirone treats:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Symptoms of anxiety (e.g., tension, irritability, dizziness)
- Some sexual dysfunction related to antidepressants
