Approaches to measuring the effects of wake-promoting drugs: a focus on cognitive function.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

In clinical drug development, wakefulness and wake-promotion may be assessed by a large number of scales and questionnaires. Objective assessment of wakefulness is most commonly made using sleep latency/maintenance of wakefulness tests, polysomnography and/or behavioral measures. The purpose of the present review is to highlight the degree of overlap in the assessment of wakefulness and cognition, with consideration of assessment techniques and the underlying neurobiology of both concepts.

Design

Reviews of four key areas were conducted: commonly used techniques in the assessment of wakefulness; neurobiology of sleep/wake and cognition; targets of wake promoting and/or cognition enhancing drugs; and ongoing clinical trials investigating wake promoting effects.

SUBMITTER: Edgar CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2747813 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature