Modification by diazepam or thioridazine of the psychomotor skills related to driving: a subacute trial in neurotic out‐patients.

Abstract

Forty‐five out‐patients with clinically manifested anxiety were tested in order to study the effects of 2 weeks' treatment with placebo, diazepam (5‐10 mg three times daily) or thioridazine (25‐50 mg three times daily) on their psychomotor skills related to driving. When compared with placebo, diazepam increased the number of mistakes in reaction and co‐ordination tests and also decreased ability to discriminate the fusion of flickering light. When compared to other groups, reactive and co‐ordinative skills were more impaired in patients treated with thioridazine which also impaired divided attention. Aubjectively thioridazine was not experienced as effective an anxiolytic as diazepam.