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Choice reaction time
Author(s) -
SCOTT W. A. C.,
WHITWAM J. G.,
WILKINSON R. T.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1983.tb12518.x
Subject(s) - medicine , anesthesia , significant difference , nitrous oxide , halothane , choice reaction time , methohexital , surgery , cognition , psychiatry , propofol
Summary Postoperative psychomotor performance changes were measured in three groups of thirteen subjects using a portable serial four‐choice reaction time apparatus. Anaesthesia consisted of either thiopentone, nitrous oxide and halothane (thiopentone subjects) or methohexitone and fentanyljnitrous oxide and incremental methohexitone (methohexitone subjects). Tests were performed on the day before operation and after 2, 4, 6, 8 and approximately 24 hours recovery on both groups of patients and at approximately the same times on nonoperated control patients. Control subjects' mean four‐choice reaction time decreased steadily with practice such that the difference between first and last tests was statistically significant. Mean four‐choice reaction times of thiopentone and methohexitone subjects increased from 515 to 550 ms and 552 to 600 ms respectively after 2 hours recovery. Subsequently four‐choice reaction times decreased in both groups although methohexitone subjects were still significantly slower than controls after 6 hours. Thiopentone subjects were slower than controls at 2, 4 and 8 hours recovery. There was no difference between the three groups of subjects after 24 hours recovery.