Sleep deprivation slows reaction time, reduces vigilance and impairs judgment and information
processing. Chronic effects include metabolic dysfunction, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Sleep deprivation affects quality of life when it causes errors in judgment, whether these
occur behind the wheel of an automobile or in a hospital. Armodafinil, a non-amphetamine
wakefulness promoting medication, indicated for excessive sleepiness associated with
obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and shift work sleep disorder is used to mitigate the
effects of sleep deprivation.
This study will characterize the effect of armodafinil on driving simulator performance. The
effects of armodafinil compared to placebo will be studied in a double blind crossover trial
involving 10 healthy subjects with serial assessments at baseline and after extensive sleep
deprivation. Using simultaneous electroencephalogram (EEG) recording during simulated driving
and neurocognitive assessments of vigilance, the relationship between brain activity and
cognitive performance will be established.