Psychopharmacology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Comparison of ketanserin, buspirone and propranolol on arousal, pupil size and autonomic function in healthy volunteers.
The human pupil may be a suitable physiological test system for the assessment of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), but pupillometric assessment could be confounded by medication for comorbid hypertension and mood disorders. ⋯ Ketanserin but not propranolol had a fully sedative profile and may confound pupillometric assessment of EDS. Beta adrenergic receptors do not appear to participate in arousal and pupillary functions, while 5HT1a receptors reduce pupil size without affecting arousal. Pupil size may not be used unequivocally as an index of the level of alertness in the case of drug-induced changes, when drugs interfere with the central pupil control mechanism in ways that are unrelated to their effects on arousal.