A further examination of the time-dependent effects of oxazepam and lorazepam on implicit and explicit memory. 1998

S E Buffett-Jerrott, and S H Stewart, and M D Teehan
Department of Psychology, Dalhouise University, Life Sciences Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. sjerrott@is2.dal.ca

Until recently, research indicated that all benzodiazepines impair explicit memory, while only lorazepam impairs priming. Stewart and associates provided preliminary data which indicated that both oxazepam and lorazepam may impair implicit memory, but in a time-dependent fashion. The present study was designed to replicate Stewart et al.'s findings after overcoming several limitations of the original study. Thirty subjects were administered an acute dose of lorazepam (2 mg), oxazepam (30 mg) or a placebo and were tested with an implicit (word-stem completion) test and an explicit (cued recall) test. However, subjects were only tested at 170 min post-drug (close to oxazepam's theoretical peak concentration) to rule out the possible "explicit memory contamination" explanation of the Stewart et al. implicit memory findings. Consistent with previous research, both drugs impaired explicit memory relative to placebo. Also, both lorazepam and oxazepam impaired priming performance, supporting the "time-dependence" interpretation of the Stewart et al. findings. The results also indicate that episodic memory is impaired by both benzodiazepines in a time-dependent fashion even when the research methodology used involves everyday memory demands.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006993 Hypnotics and Sedatives Drugs used to induce drowsiness or sleep or to reduce psychological excitement or anxiety. Hypnotic,Sedative,Sedative and Hypnotic,Sedatives,Hypnotic Effect,Hypnotic Effects,Hypnotics,Sedative Effect,Sedative Effects,Sedatives and Hypnotics,Effect, Hypnotic,Effect, Sedative,Effects, Hypnotic,Effects, Sedative,Hypnotic and Sedative
D008140 Lorazepam A benzodiazepine used as an anti-anxiety agent with few side effects. It also has hypnotic, anticonvulsant, and considerable sedative properties and has been proposed as a preanesthetic agent. Apo-Lorazepam,Ativan,Donix,Duralozam,Durazolam,Idalprem,Laubeel,Lorazep Von Ct,Lorazepam Medical,Lorazepam-Neuraxpharm,Lorazepam-Ratiopharm,Novo-Lorazem,Nu-Loraz,Orfidal Wyeth,Sedicepan,Sinestron,Somagerol,Temesta,Tolid,Témesta,WY-4036,Apo Lorazepam,Lorazepam Neuraxpharm,Lorazepam Ratiopharm,Medical, Lorazepam,Novo Lorazem,Nu Loraz,Von Ct, Lorazep,WY 4036,WY4036,Wyeth, Orfidal
D008297 Male Males
D008568 Memory Complex mental function having four distinct phases: (1) memorizing or learning, (2) retention, (3) recall, and (4) recognition. Clinically, it is usually subdivided into immediate, recent, and remote memory.
D009040 Motion Pictures The art, technique, or business of producing motion pictures for entertainment, propaganda, or instruction. Film,Motion Picture,Movie,Cinema,Films,Films as Topic,Movies,Movies as Topic,Cinemas,Films as Topics,Movies as Topics,Picture, Motion,Pictures, Motion
D010076 Oxazepam A benzodiazepine used in the treatment of anxiety, alcohol withdrawal, and insomnia. Adumbran,Serax,Tazepam
D011597 Psychomotor Performance The coordination of a sensory or ideational (cognitive) process and a motor activity. Perceptual Motor Performance,Sensory Motor Performance,Visual Motor Coordination,Coordination, Visual Motor,Coordinations, Visual Motor,Motor Coordination, Visual,Motor Coordinations, Visual,Motor Performance, Perceptual,Motor Performance, Sensory,Motor Performances, Perceptual,Motor Performances, Sensory,Perceptual Motor Performances,Performance, Perceptual Motor,Performance, Psychomotor,Performance, Sensory Motor,Performances, Perceptual Motor,Performances, Psychomotor,Performances, Sensory Motor,Psychomotor Performances,Sensory Motor Performances,Visual Motor Coordinations
D011939 Mental Recall The process whereby a representation of past experience is elicited. Recall, Mental
D003072 Cognition Disorders Disorders characterized by disturbances in mental processes related to learning, thinking, reasoning, and judgment. Overinclusion,Disorder, Cognition,Disorders, Cognition
D003463 Cues Signals for an action; that specific portion of a perceptual field or pattern of stimuli to which a subject has learned to respond. Cue

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