Recent advances in the clinical pharmacology of benzodiazepines part II: Pharmacodynamics

Saletu, B.; Pakesch, G

doi:10.1002/hup.470020203

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 135 publications

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“…For example, benzodiazepines are a large class of CNS depressants often prescribed for the management of emotional disorders, and new benzodiazepine compounds are constantly being developed and marketed for use. As a class, these drugs can produce significant psychomotor impairments (e.g., Saletu & Pakesch, 1987). Tasks sensitive to drug-induced disturbances of psychomotor function are needed in clinical drug trials to screen for adverse sideeffects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reliability of a Computerized Assessment of Psychomotor Performance and its Sensitivity to Alcohol-Induced Impairment

Fillmore

2003

Percept Mot Skills

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Two experiments examined a new computerized pursuit rotor task that measured psychomotor performance. Exp. 1 examined the acquisition and reliability of performance of 25 adults who performed the task on two sessions separated by a 2-wk. interval. Exp. 2 was a placebo-controlled test of task sensitivity to the performance-impairing effects of a 0.65 g/kg dose of alcohol. Exp. 1 showed that participants' performance was reliable over time. Exp. 2 showed that alcohol-impaired performance compared with placebo. The task could be useful for evaluating performance-impairing effects of other CNS depressant drugs, as well as complementing assessment batteries for research and instruction in studies of motor learning and human performance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reliability of a Computerized Assessment of Psychomotor Performance and its Sensitivity to Alcohol-Induced Impairment

Fillmore

2003

Percept Mot Skills

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“…Their widespread use in Western society has led to considerable concern about their possible adverse side effects and their potential for abuse. Consequently, numerous studies have examined the behavioral effects of these drugs in human volunteers (for reviews, see Duka, Curran, Rusted, & Weingartner, 1996; Saletu & Pakesch, 1987; Woods, Katz, & Winger, 1987). Benzodiazepines can produce a wide range of behavior- and cognitive-impairing effects, and they are especially well known for their amnesic effects (Curran, 2000) and disruptive effects on psychomotor performance at higher doses (Vogel, 1979).…”

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confidence: 99%

Triazolam impairs inhibitory control of behavior in humans.

Fillmore¹,

Rush²,

Kelly³

et al. 2001

Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology

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This study tested the effects of the sedative-hypnotic drug triazolam (Halcion) on the ability to inhibit behavior in humans. Thirty adults practiced a stop-signal task that measured their ability to inhibit and activate behavioral responses on a choice reaction time task. Equal numbers of participants (i.e., n = 10) then received either 0.25 mg, 0.125 mg, or 0 mg (placebo) of triazolam under double-blind conditions and performed the task intermittently over a 3-hr period. In accord with the hypothesis, triazolam reduced response inhibitions and increased the time required to inhibit a response. The drug also slowed the activation of responses. The findings contribute to the understanding of the basic behavioral mechanisms by which sedative-hypnotic drugs can produce states of behavioral disinhibition in some individuals.

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“…alone. Our present data on improvement of mnestic and psychomotor performance after benzodiaze pine treatment of insomniac GAD patients raise once again the necessity of a differential view on the complex effects of benzodiazepines on the noopsyche and on the involvement of many factors such as dose, method of application, learning materials, method of presentation and reproduction, and half-life -factors discussed pre viously by us [52].…”

Section: Laboratory Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonorganic Insomnia in Generalized Anxiety Disorder

et al. 1997

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Previous human pharmacological and toxicological studies demonstrated advantages of the combination drug Somnium® [SOM, lorazepam (LOR) 1 mg plus diphenhydramine 25 mg] over 1 mg LOR alone, as it showed synergistic effects in hypnotic properties and antagonistic effects in regard to toxicity. In the present double-blind, parallel-group study, hypnotic and anxiolytic effects of SOM were studied in 44 patients with non-organic insomnia related to mild generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), as compared with LOR alone. After a placebo run-in phase of 1 week, they received active treatment (1 tablet SOM or LOR 1 mg) for 4 weeks and thereafter placebo again for 1 week. Clinical evaluations included the physician’s general assessment of efficacy, tolerance and adverse effects, the Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAMA), the Zung self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and depression scale, the withdrawal symptom scale (WSS), hematology and blood chemistry. Sleep laboratory evaluations included objective and subjective sleep and awakening quality, measured by polysomnography, self-rating of sleep and awakening quality (SSA) and a psychometric test battery in the morning, as well as measurement of daytime brain function, objectivated by EEG mapping. Physicians’ global evaluation of insomnia demonstrated no changes in the pre-drug placebo period, moderate improvement under both drugs, with a marginal advantage of SOM over LOR in the first 2 weeks, and a return to pre-drug values in the post-drug placebo period. Anxiety improved in observer ratings (HAMA) under both drugs, in self-rating (SAS) under the combination drug only, with the scores returning to pre-drug placebo values after post-drug placebo substitution. There were no significant findings in the self-rating depression scale and the WSS, with the exception of an improvement in the WSS score 4 weeks after SOM, as compared with pre-drug placebo. There were no rebound phenomena. Both drugs were well tolerated – in regard to both adverse effects and laboratory findings. Confirmatory statistics on the polysomnographically recorded target variable latency to sleep onset stage 2 demonstrated a significant shortening of sleep latency after SOM and a significant superiority of the combination drug SOM over LOR after acute dosing, as compared with pre-drug placebo. Descriptive statistics demonstrated further a significant improvement of sleep efficiency and total sleep time after SOM and of wakefulness time and number of awakenings during the total sleep period after both drugs, but no interdrug differences. Sleep architecture remained unchanged. Subjective sleep quality improved with both drugs, morning drowsiness and the total SSA score only with SOM, while LOR was superior to SOM regarding morning somatic complaints. There were neither changes nor interdrug differences in the morning noopsyche. In psychophysiology, critical flicker frequency decreased more under SOM than LOR. After 4 weeks therapy, no significant findings in polysomnography and subjective sleep and awakening were see...

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Recent advances in the clinical pharmacology of benzodiazepines part II: Pharmacodynamics

Cited by 8 publications

References 135 publications

Reliability of a Computerized Assessment of Psychomotor Performance and its Sensitivity to Alcohol-Induced Impairment

Reliability of a Computerized Assessment of Psychomotor Performance and its Sensitivity to Alcohol-Induced Impairment

Triazolam impairs inhibitory control of behavior in humans.

Nonorganic Insomnia in Generalized Anxiety Disorder

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