This thesis describes the potential role of non-invasive measurement of pharmacokinetics (pk) and pharmacodynamics (pd) in the research and development of central nervous system (cns) stimulants or... Show moreThis thesis describes the potential role of non-invasive measurement of pharmacokinetics (pk) and pharmacodynamics (pd) in the research and development of central nervous system (cns) stimulants or depressants for children and adolescents. First, we evaluated the feasibility of using saliva as an alternative to plasma in two studies on psychostimulants (caffeine and methylphenidate). Second, neuropsychological and neurophysiological functions were measured longitudinally using the NeuroCart, a battery of tests developed at the Centre for Human Drug Research (chdr, Leiden, The Netherlands) that includes non-invasive tests for alertness, visuomotor coordination, motor control, memory, and subjective drug effects. Using a non-invasive approach, age-dependent differences in alcohol pk and pd were evaluated between healthy adolescents and adults. This thesis concludes with the report of two clinical trials that were designed to evaluate age-appropriate formulations of sedative drugs that have the potential for use in children. Show less
