A Fatigue Management System for Sustained Military Operations

Abstract : This research program consisted of four tasks, three of them specific research experiments. The fourth major objective was to extend the model of a software-based scheduling tool that predicts cognitive performance based on sleep and circadian patterns. The three experiments systematically evaluated the use and the impact of selected hypnotics and alertness medications to enhance operator performance during sustained military operations. The results for the first experiment were published in the January 2007 issue of Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine. The findings demonstrated significant decrements in cognitive performance when suddenly awakened while sleeping under the influence of zolpidem but not melatonin, Performance and polysomnography data from the second study evaluated the combined use of sleep aids (zolpidem or temazepam) and alertness aids (dextroamphetamine and melatonin) to extend performance and alertness during a simulated 120-hour bomber surge operation. Performance under the Placebo condition deteriorated significantly during the latter portions of each of three successive 24-hour missions but not under the four drug-combination conditions, which did not differ from each other throughout the missions. The third study demonstrated the potential efficacy of sublingual doses of flumazenil to reverse the soporific effects of zolpidem on performance in an operationally-relevant, sudden-awakening paradigm. Publishable reports are in preparation for the latter two studies.