The use of diurnal vigilance changes in the EEG to verify vigilance-enhancing effects of memantine in a clinical pharmacological study

Abstract

In elderly subjects there is a vigilance decrease from morning to noon which was used in a clinical pharmacological model as a state condition to verify vigilance-enhancing effects of an antidementia drug. In this model the effects of Memantine (20 mg, single-dose application) on the quantified EEG were investigated in 16 elderly (mean age: 65 +/- 5 years), healthy subjects (10 females, 6 males) in a randomised, twofold cross-over design vs. placebo under double-blind conditions. EEG was recorded before medication, and 2 and 4 h after medication under reaction time (RT) and resting (RS) conditions. EEG data were subjected to spectral analysis and the topographic distribution of the amplitude values was mapped. The results show that a time-dependent decrease (from morning to noon) in vigilance (indicated by an increase in average EEG amplitudes caused by increased synchronisation in the alpha and beta range and an increase in delta) occurred under placebo which was counteracted by Memantine. The diurnal variations of the EEG and their compensation by a pharmacological agent represent an effective model for investigating the vigilance-enhancing effects of antidementia drugs.