Enhancing the Therapeutic Efficacy of Sleep Deprivation by Modafinil

Summary

The study aims to investigate whether the administration of the stimulant modafinil during a 40 hour sleep deprivation period in depressed patients can intensify the antidepressant effect of the sleep deprivation as assessed by a reduction in the Hamilton Depression score (HAMD, 6-item version). We postulate that this also correlates with a reduction of the polysomnographically assessed overall amount of sleep during this period.

Timeline

Start

2008-05

Primary completion

2009-11

Completion

2009-11

Publications

• Background Giedke H, Schwarzler F. Therapeutic use of sleep deprivation in depression. Sleep Med Rev. 2002 Oct;6(5):361-77.
• Background Gillin JC, Buchsbaum M, Wu J, Clark C, Bunney W Jr. Sleep deprivation as a model experimental antidepressant treatment: findings from functional brain imaging. Depress Anxiety. 2001;14(1):37-49. doi: 10.1002/da.1045.
• Background Hemmeter U, Bischof R, Hatzinger M, Seifritz E, Holsboer-Trachsler E. Microsleep during partial sleep deprivation in depression. Biol Psychiatry. 1998 Jun 1;43(11):829-39. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3223(97)00297-7.
• Background Ringel BL, Szuba MP. Potential mechanisms of the sleep therapies for depression. Depress Anxiety. 2001;14(1):29-36. doi: 10.1002/da.1044.
• Background Wirz-Justice A, Van den Hoofdakker RH. Sleep deprivation in depression: what do we know, where do we go? Biol Psychiatry. 1999 Aug 15;46(4):445-53. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3223(99)00125-0.
• Background Wiegand M, Riemann D, Schreiber W, Lauer CJ, Berger M. Effect of morning and afternoon naps on mood after total sleep deprivation in patients with major depression. Biol Psychiatry. 1993 Mar 15;33(6):467-76. doi: 10.1016/0006-3223(93)90175-d.
• Background Wu JC, Bunney WE. The biological basis of an antidepressant response to sleep deprivation and relapse: review and hypothesis. Am J Psychiatry. 1990 Jan;147(1):14-21. doi: 10.1176/ajp.147.1.14.
• Background Kasper S, Möller HJ (eds). Therapeutischer Schlafentzug. Klinik und Wirkmechanismen. Wien New York: Springer, 1996
• Background Wiegand MH. Schlaf, Schlafentzug und Depression. Experimentelle Studien zum therapeutischen Schlafentzug. Berlin Heidelberg New York: Springer, 1995
• Background Wiegand MH, Jahn T, Schröder MM, Pohl C, Veselý B, Veselý Z, Brückner T, Bäuml J. Spontaneous sleep and microsleep episodes and mood in depressed patients during 40 hours of sleep deprivation therapy. Eur Arch Psychiat Clin Neurosci 256 Suppl. 2, II751, 2006

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