Dissociation between the effects of benzodiazepine receptor agonists on behavioral vigilance and responsitivity.
The effects of benzodiazepine receptor (BZR) full agonists chlordiazepoxide and midazolam, and the partial agonist beta-carboline ZK 91,296 on the rat's performance in a simple reaction time paradigm were examined. This task required the animals to respond to a rarely and unpredictably occurring brief (50 ms) visual stimulus. Non-parametric measures of signal sensitivity and response bias derived from signal-detection theory were used as a basis for the dissociation between the effects of these drugs on attentional abilities and general responsivity. The dose-dependent effects of midazolam (0.1-3.13 mg/kg) on signal sensitivity and general responsivity occurred in parallel. In contrast, the effects of chlordiazepoxide (1.56-12.5 mg/kg) on signal sensitivity were largely independent from effects on response bias. The partial agonist ZK 91,296 (0.39-25 mg/kg) in general had little effect on performance. The effects of the highest doses of chlordiazepoxide and midazolam were reversed by the co-administration of the BZR antagonist Ro15-1788 (15 mg/kg). Additionally, extension of the stimulus presentation time to 500 ms decreased the magnitude of the effect of chlordiazepoxide on signal sensitivity. These results support the hypothesis that BZR agonist-induced disruption of attentional abilities is not necessarily confounded by effects on general responsivity or sedation, and thus may represent a discrete pharmacological property of BZR-agonists.
Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210.
P
P
Dudchenko
B
B
Paul
M
M
Sarter
D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002243:Carbolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000494:pharmacology; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists; D008297:Male; D008874:Midazolam / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D002243:Carbolines; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists; D005442:Flumazenil; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide; C038933:ZK 91296; D008874:Midazolam