title: Effects of alprazolam and bromazepam on visual search and verbal recognition memory in humans: a study with event-related brain potentials.
abstract: The effects of two benzodiazepines (alprazolam and bromazepam) on performance and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in visual search and verbal recognition memory paradigms were tested in a placebo-controlled double-blind paradigm employing 12 young healthy subjects. Both drugs exerted similar effects on performance and electrophysiological measures. Reaction times and hit rates were adversely affected in both paradigms. The ERP pattern in the visual search experiment suggested an impairment in selective attention (reduction of N1 component) and of automatic feature registration (posterior N2 reduction). In the world recognition experiment a dramatic reduction of the N400 component was seen under benzodiazepines. This is interpreted as reflecting an impaired ability to perform context integration processes.
authors.affiliation: Neurologische Klinik mit Klinischer Neurophysiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Deutschland.
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Münte
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gehde
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johannes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seewald
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Heinze
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000525:Alprazolam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001960:Bromazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001960:Bromazepam; D000525:Alprazolam