Effects of pemoline on spontaneous and event-related electrical activity of the brain.
The effect of pemoline on the electrical activity of the brain (electroencephalogram, EEG) was studied in relation to time since sleep and time of day in 6 healthy subjects carrying out periods of work lasting 18 h. Power of the spontaneous EEG increased with time since sleep and amplitude of the P3 event-related response decreased. The changes may be interpreted as the reduction in alertness with time awake. In contrast, pemoline decreased power of the spontaneous EEG and increased the amplitude the P3 response, effects that are consistent with improved alertness. The changes in brain activity were paralleled by effects on performance, in terms of percentage of correct responses and reaction time. Performance decreased with time awake, and was improved by pemoline compared with placebo. The drug counteracted the adverse effects of time since sleep, with the beneficial effect of the drug persisting over the 18-hour period of work. The findings emphasise that spontaneous and event-related activity of the EEG may be used both to complement measures of performance in the laboratory and to assess behaviour in occupational situations where performance testing is impractical.
Wright
N A
NA
Protection and Performance Department, Centre for Human Sciences, Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, Farnborough, Hants, UK.
Belyavin
A J
AJ
Birch
C L
CL
Pascoe
P A
PA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects; D010389:Pemoline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D010389:Pemoline