title: The effects of repeated doses of temazepam and nitrazepam on several measures of human performance.
abstract: The effects of six nightly doses of temazepam (20 mg), nitrazepam (10 mg) and placebo on saccadic eye movements, critical flicker fusion threshold, choice reaction time and mood were studied in eight volunteers. Performance was measured on nights 1 and 6 of each treatment. Nitrazepam produced a residual performance impairment on night 1 that disappeared by night 6, despite higher serum concentrations of the drug on the sixth night of treatment. Temazepam, with a shorter elimination half-life, produced no significant performance impairment on night 1, but by night 6 a significant impairment of saccadic eye movements (p less than 0.05) was seen 1 hour after drug intake. We conclude that tolerance to the sedative action of nitrazepam developed over the 6-night period of the study. No evidence of tolerance was seen with temazepam. No residual effects of temazepam (20 mg) were seen the morning after the night-time drug administration.
mesh_terms: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005425:Flicker Fusion / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009567:Nitrazepam / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012438:Saccades / Q000187:drug effects; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D013693:Temazepam / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D009567:Nitrazepam; D013693:Temazepam