[net.med] Need information on sleep and sleep deprivation

jvenner@wateng.UUCP (Jason P. Venner) (09/28/83)

     I have an interesting problem, and	I wonder if anyone in net
land  can help.	 I have	a friend who will, on occasion,	not sleep
for two	or more	days.  After about the second day  of  no  sleep,
she becomes incoherent,	paranoid, and a	bit violent.

     What I what to know is:

_A_r_e _t_h_e_r_e _a_n_y _p_h_y_s_i_o_l_o_g_i_c_a_l _r_e_a_s_o_n_s _f_o_r
	  a person not to be able to sleep
	  incoherence, paranoia	and violent behaviour after lack of sleep

If anyone has any suggestions or comments, please mail me

		       yours sincerly,

		       Jason P.	Venner
		       Integrated Studies,
		       University of Waterloo,
		       Waterloo, Ontario.
		       Canada
		       N2L 3G1
		       uucp:
			    (jvenner@wateng)
			    (watmath!wateng!jvenner@allegra)
			    (watmath!wateng!jvenner@decvax)
			    (watmath!wateng!jvenner)

-- 
yours sincerely,
Jason P. Venner
(jvenner@wateng)
(watmath!wateng!jvenner)
Integrated Studies,
Waterloo, Ontario.,
Canada.
N2L 3G1

norm@ariel.UUCP (N.ANDREWS) (09/29/83)

re sleeplessness and subsequent violent behavior:  investigate for improper
(too little?, too much? wrong pathway?) metabolism involving phenylalanine,
tryptophan, and serotonin.  Elevated serotonin levels are linked with such
behavioral problems.  Some nutrient COMBINATIONS are helpful and others
harmful in this regard.  People's metabolisms differ sometimes to the 
extent that one person may need 200 time as much of a certain nutrient
than another person.  The person needs to see a medical doctor who is
competent in the field of nutrition.  Not all doctors specializing in
nutrition are competent... (Probably an understatement).  INFORMED self-
experimentation might be in order....
(Of course, the problem may not be related to nutrition at all, but I'd almost
be willing to bet that it is.)
--Norm Andrews, AT&T Information Systems, Holmdel, N.J.
ps:  The foregoing opinions are not to be construed as the advice of the
company for which I work...