The Subacute Effect of Bromazepam on Psychomotor Activity and Subjective Mood

Abstract

In a double-blind study, fifty-five healthy, male medical students received a tranquilizer (bromazepam, 'Lexotanil') or placebo according to dosage group (placebo, 1.5 mg and 3 mg bromazepam). The subjects were randomly allocated to three groups (placebo: n = 19; 1.5 mg: n = 19; and 3 mg: n = 17). Dependent variables tested were the subjective assessment of performance and the level of activation (self-rating), and aspects of psychomotor function were assessed using the standard testing devices. The medication was administered for a total of 14 days. The testing times reported here were: before start, and after 7 and 14 days of administration of serum or placebo. The subjective evaluation (self-rating) such as performance assessment and level of activation demonstrated no changes related to either the medication or the length of time elapsed. The objective measures of performance revealed two main effects: lengthening of time of reaction to optical stimuli during the course of the study, especially in the higher bromazepam dosage group (sedative effect). This sedative effect was, however, relatively weak since, despite this observation, there was a significant training effect in the 3 mg group with regard to attentiveness and alertness testing. The results were also evaluated for a possible effect on driving ability. In the group studied here and at the relatively low dosage administered, any possible negative influence can be disregarded.

Effect on postural sway of various benzodiazepine tranquillizers.

“…This study clearly differentiated lorazepam from clobazam by its pronounced sedative effects, especially after a single dose, and corroborated the results observed by Hindmarch & Gudgeon (1980) and Siegfried et al (1981) by disturbances of psychomotor performance 2 h after the initial dose, it caused a significant after the administration of lorazepam (Bell et clobazam, but, 1976;Saario & Seppala, 1976;Hobi et al, 1982).…”

The effects of bromazepam on the early stage of visual information processing (P100)

“…However, a longer motor reaction time was observed 6 hours after bromazepam ingestion 7 . In another study, Hobi et al observed a lengthening of reaction time for all three groups (placebo, bromazepam 1.5mg and bromazepam 3mg), but concluded that this result was due to the type of experimental design used, and only slightly to the drug's action 22 .…”

Efeitos do Bromazepam observados pela eletroencefalografia quantitativa (EEGq) durante a prática de datilografia

“…Quanto aos testes de atenção e alerta, ocorreram melhoras significativas nos três grupos (em função da aprendizagem). Isso sugere que em doses relativamente baixas, o Bromazepam não é capaz de influenciar substancialmente tais variáveis 6 , hipó-tese confirmada por dados pilotos de nosso laboratório. Investigações envolvendo vários benzodiazepínicos (alprazolam, bromazepam, diazepam e lorazepam) apontam diferentes resultados em função da dosagem e tempo de tratamento 27 .…”

“…O Bromazepam, derivado benzodiazepínico tem a seguinte designação: 7-bromo-1, 3-dihydro -5-(2-pyridyl)-2H-1, 4-benzodiazepínico-2. Tem sido amplamente utilizado na Psiquiatria há cerca de 4 décadas para tratamento dos transtornos de ansiedade por apresentar propriedades ansiolítica, anticonvulsiva, miorelaxante e hipnótica em caso de dose elevada [6][7][8] . Os efeitos ansiolítico, analgésico e hipnótico do Bromazepam são exercidos pela intensificação da neurotransmissão mediada pelo GABA.…”