Hypersomnia and fatigue in depression. Treatment with modafinil

Journal Title: Αρχεία Ελληνικής Ιατρικής - Year 2005, Vol 22, Issue 6

Abstract

Depression is a fairly prevalent condition, manifests usually as a major depressive episode or as dysthymia. Both types of depression create a considerable burden for the patient, for his/her family, and for society. Insomnia is one of the common symptoms of depression; if, however, depression is "atypical", then it may be accompanied by sleepiness, hypersomnia and fatigue. These symptoms may also appear among patients with the typical form of the disease, either as side effects of antidepressant treatment or as residual symptoms in patients who are treatment refractory. Successful management of these symptoms aims at improving both the overall functioning of the patients and their compliance with treatment, and at reducing their vulnerability to future depressive episodes. The management of hypersomnia and fatigue, as well as that of treatment-resistant depression, is based on antidepressant augmentation with various combinations of antidepressants or with the addition of other drugs such as lithium, thyroxin or buspirone. Drugs with dopaminergic and/or noradrenergic properties have also been considered lately. Such a drug is modafinil, a central nervous system stimulant used for the treatment of narcolepsy and of other conditions with sleepiness and fatigue, and which is not associated with the tolerance and dependence characteristic of the amphetamines. Results from case reports and open studies, as well as of one double-blind study on 136 treatment-refractory depressive patients, have shown that adding modafinil to the antidepressant agent already being taken is effective in reducing hypersomnia and fatigue in depression.

Authors and Affiliations

D. DIKEOS

Keywords

Related Articles

Hormone replacement therapy: An update

Because of the discrepancies in opinions about the benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), recently the International Menopause Society formulated a consensus statement concerning HRT. For women experien...

Job motivation factors and performance incentives as efficient management tools: A study among mental health professionals

OBJECTIVE To identify significant motivational factors according to the views of mental health professionals in two Greek psychiatric hospitals and to determine whether these differ among medical, nursing and administrat...

Metabolic acidosis from administration NaCl and parenteral nutrition. Pathophysiological mechanisms

Metabolic acidosis (MA) is one of the main four disorders of acid-base balance. The pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for MA are exogenous administration or increased endogenous production of acids, decreased exc...

Συγκριτική λοιμογόνος ικανότητα ευαίσθητων και πολυανθεκτικών στελεχών Pseudomonas aeruginosa <br /> In vitro και in vivo μελέτη

ΣΚΟΠΟΣ H σύγκριση της λοιμογόνου ικανότητας ανάμεσα σε ευαίσθητα και πολυανθεκτικά στελέχη Pseudomonas aeruginosa τόσο in vitro όσο και in vivo. ΥΛΙΚΟ-ΜΕΘΟΔΟΣ Επιλέχθηκαν 8 ευαίσθητα και 12 πολυανθεκτικά στελέχη, όλα...

Job satisfaction of employees with severe mental illness with the Corfu Social Cooperative Limited (KoiSPE)

OBJECTIVE Employment is one of the main goals of psychosocial rehabilitation of the mentally ill. Social firms (known in Greece as KoiSPE) constitute one of the sources of employment opportunities for people with mental...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP123648
  • DOI -
  • Views 65
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

D. DIKEOS (2005). Hypersomnia and fatigue in depression. Treatment with modafinil . Αρχεία Ελληνικής Ιατρικής, 22(6), 544-551. https://europub.co.uk./articles/-A-123648