title: Effects of beta blockade with metoprolol on simple and complex task performance.
abstract: The effect of treatment with the beta-blocker metoprolol on several indicants of task performance was investigated. Twenty-five male hypertensives were treated for 2 weeks each with drug and placebo in a double-blind crossover design. Comparisons to 25 matched untreated normotensives were made. Participants responded twice to a Mood Adjective Check List (MACL) and the Stroop Color-Word Test. In addition, they participated in two parallel decision-making simulations. Normotensives and hypertensives on drug or placebo did not differ on MACL and Stroop scores. Comparisons on 12 validated simulation measures showed that drug treatment with metoprolol aided complex task performance. Drug treatment improved strategic capacity and the ability to deal effectively with emergencies. Preliminary evidence that treatment with metoprolol might help restore performance capacity that may have been lost due to hypertensive disease was also obtained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey 17033.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Streufert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: DePadova
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McGlynn
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piasecki
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pogash
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects*; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003118:Color Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012660:Semantics
chemical_list: D008790:Metoprolol