Effects of Drugs on Human Functioning: Antihistamines

Effects of antihistamine, age and gender on task performance.

“…The Clark and Nicholson findings were noteworthy because it was found that most negative effects on performance were found approximately 1.5 hours after ingestion and the participants in the study reported no subjectively perceived decline in performance ability as a result of consuming the drug. This disparity between the effects of chlorpheniramine maleate on measures of performance and self-reported mood has been noted by several authors (Manning & Gengo, 1993;Meltzer, 1990Meltzer, , 1991Nicholson, 1985). This finding serves as a point of considerable concern because it suggests that an individual who has taken chlorpheniramine maleate can perceive little cognitive effect, yet demonstrate significant degradation in performance.…”

“…Such findings raise serious concerns regarding possible antihistamine effects in the aviation environment. Chlorpheniramine maleate is of particular interest because it is a traditional Hj receptor site blocker and has moderately high sedating effects (see Goodman & Gilman, 1990;Manning & Gengo, 1993) • It is also relatively inexpensive, easy to obtain, and commonly found in a wide variety of OTC cold, flu, and allergy medications-so much so that many people may not even be aware that they are taking an antihistamine as part of a multi-symptom preparation. One study provided early evidence that chlorpheniramine maleate might present significant problems in the aviation environment.…”

“…Several studies have reported subjective influences of chlorpheniramine maleate that would be described as negative (Chapman & Rawlins, 1982;Gilliland, Schlegel, & Nesthus, 1997;Kulshrestha, Gupta, Turner, & Wadsworth, 1978;Nicolson et al, 1991;Philpot, Biegalski, & Brooker., 1993), while others have not (Clarke & Nicholson, 1978;Lee, Lader, & Kitler, 1988). Of course, one of the most critical findings in this regard was that, in some cases, individuals who had consumed chlorpheniramine maleate showed clearly negative effects on performance measures but no evidence of self-reported negative effects (Clarke & Nicholson, 1978;Manning & Gengo, 1993;Meltzer, 1990Meltzer, , 1991Nicholson, 1985). At least two studies have provided another perspective on chlorpheniramine maleate effects.…”

“…The P300 response is an EEG measure that has been linked to both speed of cortical processing and sustained attention ability. The results of these EEG studies suggest that the degrading effects that chlorpheniramine maleate seems to exert on performance may well be mediated indirectly by the suppression of midbrain Hj histaminergic receptors that play a central role in regulating general arousal level (see Goodman & Gilman, 1990;Manning & Gengo, 1993;Prell & Green, 1986).…”

Hypnotics and antihistamines : effects ono cognitive functions and driving performance

“…triprolidine and d-chlorpheniramine, 70%), it is clear that all drugs had more or less crossed the blood-brain barrier. The implication of these results was subsequently noted by Manning and Gengo (1993): chronic daily dosing with terfenadine and presumably other 2nd generation antihistamines might eventually result in brain concentrations capable of affecting behavior.…”