Final answer:
In 1935, amphetamine was tested for the treatment of narcolepsy, a condition characterized by uncontrollable sleep episodes and often associated with cataplexy. Traditional stimulants like amphetamines increase neural activity but don't directly affect the reduced hypocretin levels in the brain, a hallmark of narcolepsy.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1935, the wake-promoting effect of amphetamine led to testing it for the treatment of narcolepsy, which is defined as a condition in which the individual spontaneously falls asleep as many as 50 times a day. Narcolepsy is treated using psychomotor stimulant drugs, such as amphetamines, which promote increased levels of neural activity. Individuals with narcolepsy have reduced levels of the signaling molecule hypocretin in some areas of the brain. The traditional stimulant drugs used do not have direct effects on this system, indicating that new medications for narcolepsy might target the hypocretin system for more effective treatment.
Narcolepsy can result in sleep episodes often associated with cataplexy, which involves a lack of muscle tone or weakness, and in some cases complete paralysis of the voluntary muscles. This is similar to the type of paralysis experienced during REM sleep. Consequently, new treatment strategies that go beyond traditional stimulants are often explored to address the complex nature of narcolepsy, including its association with cataplexy and hallucinations.