Method for screening potential antidepressant and psychotropic substances with sleep related measures

Abstract

This inventive method leverages physiological measures of sleep, in particular those related to Random Eye Movement Sleep (REM), in order to screen for substances or procedures which may have anti-depressive properties. This method is intended for use as an assay with appropriate controls, and discrete experimental periods of baseline, treatment, and recovery. Three principal criteria are used to determine the consideration of an experimental treatment as an antidepressant candidate: significant and persistent reduction in REM Sleep percentage during the treatment period and evidence for maintaining REM pressure into the recovery recovery period. Additional measures are used to aid with selection including, increase in the Delta Ratio, increase REM Density, increase in REM latency, and change in Ultradian Rhythm length.

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