Muramyl Peptide-Enhanced Sleep: Pharmacological Optimization of Performance

摘要

It is now recognized that sleep results from neuronal activity which is regulatedby the interactions of neurons with substances produced by neurons and other cellular components of the brain. Over the past 30 years, our technical abilities to identify and synthesize biochemicals has greatly improved; these advances have led to the identification of several endogenous sleep factors (SFs) (substances that promote sleep). Over the past five years of this contract, we have identified several new SFs and synthesized analogs that may be developed into new, more effective, and safer somnogenic agents. The broad goal of this USAMRDC-supported work has been to develop the information needed to determine if it is reasonable to propose either endogenous SFs or synthetic analogs as potential sleep-inducing agents for military use.