Automatic measurement of the vigilance level and its possible application in psychopharmacology

The main object of the study was to separate the specific EEG effects of psychopharmaca from changes caused by drowsiness. The study was based on quantitative evaluation of the vigilance level during five minutes of EEG recording under standardized conditions. The equation for computing the vigilance level from EEG spectra was obtained by using a training material. The segments were classified visually either as alert EEG, or as EEG marked by drowsiness. As confirmed by independent test material, the coefficients derived by means of multiple linear regression were applicable to other EEGs for estimating the vigilance level. The procedure was used in the evaluation of the psychopharmacological treatment. It was concluded that the specific EEG drug profiles were certainly influenced by the accompanying drowsiness, but the main information was still preserved. In contrast to the specific drug effect, the drug-induced sleep activity could be isolated from other events and studied separately. It was also found that after a standard stimulation, both the general trend and periodicity of the vigilance fluctuations were closely related to the psychic state of the patient.