Cognitive, psychomotor, and subjective effects of sodium oxybate and triazolam in healthy volunteers.

Abstract

RATIONALE:

Illicit gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) has received attention as a "date rape drug" that produces robust amnesia; however, there is little experimental evidence in support of GHB's amnestic effects.

OBJECTIVES:

This study compared the cognitive effects of GHB (sodium oxybate) with those of triazolam in healthy volunteers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Doses of sodium oxybate (1.125, 2.25, and 4.5 g/70 kg), triazolam (0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 mg/70 kg), and placebo were administered to 15 volunteers under repeated measures, counterbalanced, double-blind, double-dummy conditions. The time course and peak physiological, psychomotor, subjective, and cognitive effects were examined.

RESULTS:

Sodium oxybate and triazolam produced similar increases in participant ratings of drug effects. Performance on psychomotor, working memory, and episodic memory tasks was impaired to a greater extent after triazolam than sodium oxybate.

CONCLUSIONS:

Together, these data suggest that sodium oxybate produces less psychomotor and cognitive impairment than triazolam at doses that produce equivalent participant-rated subjective effects in healthy volunteers.

• Authors: Lawrence P Carter, Roland R Griffiths, Miriam Z Mintzer
• Journal: Psychopharmacology (Psychopharmacology (Berl)) Vol. 206 Issue 1 Pg. 141-54 (Sep 2009) ISSN: 1432-2072 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 19543883 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Triazolam
• Sodium Oxybate

Topics

• Adult
• Cognition (drug effects)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Double-Blind Method
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Memory, Short-Term (drug effects)
• Mental Recall (drug effects)
• Middle Aged
• Neuropsychological Tests
• Observation
• Psychomotor Performance (drug effects)
• Sodium Oxybate (adverse effects)
• Triazolam (adverse effects)