Differential effects of the new central
adrenergic agonist modafinil and d-amphetamine on sleep and early morning
behaviour in elderlies.
Saletu B, Frey R, Krupka M,
Anderer P, Grunberger J, Barbanoj MJ
Department of Psychiatry,
University of Vienna, Austria
Arzneimittelforschung 1989 Oct;39(10):1268-73
Abstract
Modafinil is a new
central alpha-adrenergic agonist with vigilance-promoting properties. In a
double-blind, placebo-controlled sleep laboratory study its single-dose
effects on sleep and early morning behaviour were investigated and compared
with d-amphetamine. Ten elderly healthy volunteers (mean age: 68 years)
spent 12 nights in the sleep laboratory: one adaptation night, one baseline
night, five drug nights (100 mg and 200 mg modafinil; 10 mg and 20 mg
d-amphetamine; placebo) and five subsequent washout nights. The drugs were
administered orally in one week intervals at 10:00 p.m., and all-night
somnopolygraphic investigations were performed between 10:30 p.m. and 6:00
a.m. A self-rating scale for sleep and awakening quality as well as
psychometric tests were completed in the morning. d-amphetamine caused a
dose-dependent impairment of sleep maintenance and sleep architecture, while
modafinil did not. Thus, a significant reduction of total sleep time,
REM-sleep and sleep stage 2 was seen after d-amphetamine when compared to
placebo and 100 mg modafinil. Corresponding with these objective results,
subjective sleep quality deteriorated significantly only after 20 mg
d-amphetamine as compared to placebo. Morning investigations revealed an
increase of CFF after 20 mg d-amphetamine. Pulse rate, evening and morning
blood pressure remained unchanged. These findings suggest a different mode
of action of the two compounds.
