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Benzodiazepine‐induced reduction in activity mirrors decrements in cognitive and psychomotor performance
Author(s) -
Dawson Jean,
Boyle Julia,
Stanley Neil,
Johnsen Sigurd,
Hindmarch Ian,
Skene Debra J.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
human psychopharmacology: clinical and experimental
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.461
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1099-1077
pISSN - 0885-6222
DOI - 10.1002/hup.961
Subject(s) - actigraphy , psychomotor learning , benzodiazepine , crossover study , placebo , cognition , effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance , psychology , morning , anesthesia , sleep (system call) , audiology , sleep deprivation , sedative , triazolam , circadian rhythm , medicine , psychiatry , neuroscience , receptor , alternative medicine , pathology , computer science , operating system
Objective To assess whether actigraphy is sensitive to benzodiazepine‐induced changes in cognitive and psychomotor performance and sleep. Methods Healthy young volunteers ( n = 23; 11 males), were randomised to a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, crossover trial. Actigraphy was used to record motor activity continuously. Following dosing at 18.00 h with 2.5 mg lorazepam (LZP), psychomotor and cognitive assessments were made at hourly intervals post‐dose for 4 h and after sleep at 14.5 h post‐dose. Results Activity levels were significantly reduced after LZP for 5 h post‐dose ( p = 0.0104), during sleep (5–13 h) ( p < 0.02) and the following morning, 13–14.5 h post‐dose ( p < 0.02). At the same time cognitive and psychomotor performance was also significantly impaired ( p < 0.05). LZP also significantly increased actigraphic sleep efficiency and sleep per cent ( p < 0.02). Conclusion This study showed that activity levels were significantly reduced following dosing with a benzodiazepine and these changes coincided with impairment of cognitive and psychomotor performance. Actigraphy, therefore, appears to be able to reflect the psychopharmacological effects of a benzodiazepine in changes in daytime function and nocturnal behaviour, which, without waking the subject, is beyond the power of conventional psychometrics. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.