Acute Effects of Temazepam and Nitrazepam on Psychomotor Skills and Memory

Abstract

Pretrained healthy students [12] ingested temazepam, nitrazepam and placebo, each double blind at 1 week intervals in randomized order. Reactive and co-ordinative skills and critical flicker fusion were measured before each drug intake and 1, 2, 3, 6 and 8 h after it. Short-term memory and paired association learning were measured at 1, 3 and 8 h. The psychomotor responses to drugs were modified by a sequence effect (not at zero tests) which effect varied depending on the drug and parameter. In multivariance analysis it was included to reveal drug effects. Nitrazepam 10 mg increased reaction and co-ordination errors and also impaired learning and memory. Temazepam 10 mg impaired co-ordinative skills; it differed from nitrazepam but hardly from placebo. Temazepam 20 mg impaired co-ordination learning and memory. Temazepam 20 mg and nitrazepam were sedative. All drug effects were clearest during the first 3 h; nitrazepam also impaired learning at 8 h. Temazepam 20 mg seems suitable as a hypnotic.