What is Buspirone and its primary use?

• A. A non-sedating anxiolytic used for GAD; slower onset; not effective for panic or phobias.
• B. A sedating antidepressant
• C. A benzodiazepine with rapid onset
• D. A beta-blocker used for performance anxiety

Answer: (A)

The main idea is understanding what buspirone is and when it’s used. Buspirone is a non-sedating anxiolytic that is primarily prescribed for generalized anxiety disorder. It does not provide rapid relief of anxiety, because its effects develop slowly over several weeks. This makes it suitable for long-term management rather than acute episodes.

Unlike benzodiazepines, it has little to no sedative effect, and it carries a much lower risk of dependence. Because of that slow onset and lack of rapid anxiolytic effect, it’s not helpful for sudden panic attacks or phobic situations. Mechanistically, buspirone acts as a partial agonist at serotonin 5-HT1A receptors (with some dopaminergic activity), which helps reduce anxious thoughts without producing marked sedation.

So the described profile—non-sedating, used for generalized anxiety disorder, with a slower onset and not effective for panic or phobias—best matches buspirone.