Comparative effects of a repeated dose regime of diazepam and buspirone on subjective ratings, psychological tests and the EEG.
Two doses of buspirone (5 and 10 mg tds), 1 dose of diazepam (5 mg tds) and placebo were administered to 8 normal subjects for a period of 8 days. Each subject received each drug in a balanced order with a minimum interval of 1 week between courses. Psychotropic effects were assessed with a battery of physiological, psychomotor and subjective tests on the first, third and last days of treatment both before the first daily dose and at 1 h and 3 h after it. Diazepam showed a characteristic profile of action producing EEG changes and psychological impairment after a single dose which were still present after a week's treatment. Such effects were minimal after buspirone. Both drugs increased subjective ratings of drowsiness but these feelings tended to decrease after a week's treatment on the clinical doses. Buspirone (10 mg tds) produced some unpleasant side-effects initially but tolerance to these invariably developed after 3 days treatment.
D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002065:Buspirone; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D011743:Pyrimidines; D003975:Diazepam; D002065:Buspirone