Residual effects of temazepam versus nitrazepam on memory and vigilance in the normal subject

Abstract

Eighteen normal volunteers with no sleep difficulties were given psychological tests and asked to fill out a self-evaluation questionnaire 11 h after administration of a hypnotic drug, nitrazepam 5 rng or temazepam 20 mg (in the form of soft gelatin capsules), which was compared to a placebo. Subjects received all three treatments at 1-week intervals, with the administration sequence determined by drawing lots. The tests used were the images test, the digitlsymbol substitution test (DSST), choice reaction time and critical fusion frequency. The two benzodiazepines proved to be efficient hypnotics, improving sleep induction and quality, but nitrazepam caused residual effects, as evidenced by difficult awakening and modified behaviour in the morning, as well as disturbed performance during DSST.

Hypnotics and antihistamines : effects ono cognitive functions and driving performance

“…Meta-analysis confirmed that nitrazepam 10 mg is likely to impair performance the entire day after bedtime administration and experts rated the effects initially as severe and declining to moderate (Berghaus, 1998;Wolschrijn et al, 1991). Nitrazepam 5 mg was occasionally found to produce significant residual impairment between 8 and 12 hours after the administration (e.g., Bourin et al, 1987;Godtlibsen et al, 1986;Laurell and Tornros, 1986;Morgan, 1985;Subhan and Hindmarch, 1984a), but not on performance in the driving test (Volkerts and O'Hanlon, 1986). There was no consensus among experts with respect to the severity of residual effects of nitrazepam 5 mg.…”