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The Effects of Dextromethorphan on Driving Performance and the Standardized Field Sobriety Test
Author(s) -
Perry Paul J.,
Fredriksen Kristian,
Chew Stephanie,
Ip Eric J.,
Lopes Ingrid,
Doroudgar Shadi,
Thomas Kelan
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.12833
Subject(s) - dextromethorphan , sobriety , driving simulator , poison control , medicine , anesthesia , crossover study , simulation , pharmacology , psychology , emergency medicine , computer science , psychiatry , alternative medicine , pathology , placebo
Dextromethorphan ( DXM ) is abused most commonly among adolescents as a recreational drug to generate a dissociative experience. The objective of the study was to assess driving with and without DXM ingestion. The effects of one‐time maximum daily doses of DXM 120 mg versus a guaifenesin 400 mg dose were compared among 40 healthy subjects using a crossover design. Subjects’ ability to drive was assessed by their performance in a driving simulator ( STISIM ® D rive driving simulator software) and by conducting a standardized field sobriety test ( SFST ) administered 1‐h postdrug administration. The one‐time dose of DXM 120 mg did not demonstrate driving impairment on the STISIM ® D rive driving simulator or increase SFST failures compared to guaifenesin 400 mg. Doses greater than the currently recommended maximum daily dose of 120 mg are necessary to perturb driving behavior.