A cognitive and neurophysiological test of change from an individual's baseline.
OBJECTIVE
An automated cognitive neurophysiological test is presented that characterizes how an individual was affected by a drug or treatment. The test calculates sub-scores for working memory task performance, cortical activation, and alertness, and combines the sub-scores into an overall score.


METHODS
The test was applied in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of alcohol, caffeine, diphenhydramine, and sleep deprivation in 16 healthy adults.


RESULTS
The between- and within-day variability of the sub-scores and overall scores for placebo were all near zero, suggesting that the scores are stable. All treatments affected the overall score, while differential effects on sub-scores highlighted the added value of EEG measures.


CONCLUSIONS
The test is sensitive to relatively mild alterations in cognitive function. Its automation makes it suitable for use in large-scale clinical trials.


CONCLUSIONS
By combining task performance with EEG brain function measures, the test may prove to have better sensitivity and specificity in detecting changes due to drugs or other treatments than comparable neuropsychological test batteries that do not directly measure brain function signals.
Gevins
Alan
A
San Francisco Brain Research Institute & SAM Technology, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA. alan@sfbri.org
Smith
Michael E
ME
McEvoy
Linda K
LK
Ilan
Aaron B
AB
Chan
Cynthia S
CS
Jiang
An
A
Sam-Vargas
Lita
L
Abraham
Gordon
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult