title: A comparison of the effects of olanzapine, haloperidol and placebo on cognitive and psychomotor functions in healthy elderly volunteers.
abstract: The cognitive and psychomotor effects of olanzapine (3 mg) were compared with haloperidol (3 mg) and placebo in a double-blind, cross-over study. Fourteen healthy elderly volunteers (>65 years) were randomized to receive once daily medication for 4 days with a 16-day interval between treatment periods. Assessments of attention, memory and motor control were made prior to dosing on each day, at 2, 4, 6 and 8 h after dosing on days 1 and 4, and at 24 and 48 h following the last dose. On day 1, detectable impairment was observed at all time points in both groups. On day 4, haloperidol treated subjects showed increased impairment compared with day 1 and this was sustained throughout the 48 h of testing. Olanzapine treated subjects showed reduced day 4 deficit (compared with day 1), with no significant difference from placebo beyond 6 h post dose. These results suggest that both haloperidol and olanzapine have a measurable initial effect on cognitive and psychomotor function in elderly volunteers. However, acute effects associated with olanzapine decrease with repeated dosing and show substantial adaptation within 4 days. In contrast, effects seen with haloperidol are sustained and increase with repeated dosing over the same period.
authors.affiliation: Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Lilly Research Centre, Windlesham, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Beuzen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wesnes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D010890:Pirenzepine; D006220:Haloperidol; D000077152:Olanzapine