title: Lack of psychotomimetic or impairing effects on psychomotor performance of acamprosate.
abstract: The possible effects on psychomotor performance, concentration, attention, and mood of acamprosate (calciumacetylhomotaurinate) were assessed using a randomized, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled design involving 12 healthy male volunteers. Acamprosate 2 g daily per os or placebo was administered for seven days and separated by washout intervals of at least 21 days. Objective tests evaluated psychomotor functions (simple reaction time measurement, binary choice reaction test, computerized visual searching task, sustained attention test). Mood was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory and the Beschwerde-Liste to assess subjective physical impairment. Additionally, a visual 3-D illusion paradigm was applied to measure the psychotomimetic effect. A dose of acamprosate of 2 g/day for seven days was free of any significant effects on mood, concentration, attention, psychomotor performance and did not produce any subjective sedation, excitation or psychotomimetic effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wohlfahrt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schulze-Bonhage
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haacker
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caspary
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zedler
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Emrich
mesh_terms: D000077443:Acamprosate; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D000427:Alcohol Deterrents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007088:Illusions / Q000187:drug effects; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D011605:Psychoses, Substance-Induced / Q000523:psychology*; D013654:Taurine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000427:Alcohol Deterrents; D013654:Taurine; D000077443:Acamprosate