Premium
Chronic high‐dose nitrazepam dependence 123 I‐IMP SPECT and EEG studies
Author(s) -
Kitabayashi Yurinosuke,
Ueda Hideki,
Narumoto Jin,
Iizumi Hideyuki,
Tsuchida Hideto,
Murata Nobufumi,
Nakajima Shosaku,
Fukui Kenji
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
addiction biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.445
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1369-1600
pISSN - 1355-6215
DOI - 10.1080/13556210120056507
Subject(s) - nitrazepam , electroencephalography , benzodiazepine , perfusion , pathophysiology , psychology , nuclear medicine , medicine , anesthesia , neuroscience , diazepam , receptor
A patient who took 50–100 mg nitrazepam per day for 25 years is presented. 123 I‐IMP SPECT (autoradiography method) and EEG were performed sequentially on the subject during and after the withdrawal syndrome. Severe hypoperfusion of the whole brain on SPECT and diffuse slow activity on EEG were demonstrated during the withdrawal syndrome and subsequently remarkably improved. However, the hypofrontal pattern on both early and delayed images in SPECT was unchanged. The changes observed on SPECT and EEG reflect the pathophysiology of dependence and withdrawal. Additionally, the hypofrontal pattern remained unchanged suggesting that organic brain damage can develop as a result of chronic high‐dose benzodiazepine abuse.