“Depressors of vigilance” were defined as substances which depress the level of consciousness, lower noetic (intellectual) activity, produce a “hypnoid” state, and induce clinical and electroencephalographic sleep. They are one of the two groups of ”psycholeptics” in Delay’s (1959a,b) classification of “psychiatric drugs”,  presented in Delay and Deniker monograph published in 1961.  “Depressors of vigilance” include the “hypnotics” (Ban 1969).

Ban TA. Psychopharmacology. Baltimore: William & Wilkins; 1969, p. 368.

Delay J. Intervention à propos de la terminologie et la classification des médicaments psychiatriques.  In: Kline NS, editor. Neuropsychopharmacology Frontiers. New York: Little Brown; 1959a, pp. 426-9. 

Delay J. Discussion: Fourth Symposium. In: Bradley PB, Deniker P, Radouco-Thomas C. Neuropsychopharmacology. Proceedings of the First International Congress of Neuro-Pharmacology. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 1959b, pp. 167-72.

Delay J, Deniker P. MéthodesChimiothérapiques en Psychiatrie. Paris; Masson et Cie; 1961.

Caelos R. Hojaij

January 23, 2014