Abstract
Sleep is a dynamic process and not a passive condition. From a behavioural standpoint it can be defined as a regularly recurrent state which is reversible and in which there is a greatly increased threshold for external stimulation. The neurophysiologists have specific EEG patterns when an individual is asleep, but this does not mean that the EEG pattern is the same as sleep. The reason I underline this is that when testing hypnotic drugs it is necessary not only to study neurophysiological variables but also to use questionnaires. It is of importance to rate the report of the subject and also to have trained observers’ opinion of the sleep rated. Another factor to control when studying the effect of a drug upon sleep is how the person functions the next day. This capacity for performing usual tasks does not necessarily correlate to the effect of the drug on EEG sleep or the subject’s own opinion.
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Gottfries, C.G. (1979). Pharmacological Treatment of Sleep Disorders. In: Priest, R.G., Pletscher, A., Ward, J. (eds) Sleep Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-6226-5_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-6226-5_13
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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