An evaluation of persisting cognitive effects after withdrawal from long-term benzodiazepine use.
Twenty participants with self-reported long-term benzodiazepine use (mean 108 months) who had previously withdrawn from medication (mean 42 months) were administered a battery of neuropsychological tests. Each long-term user was case matched for age, sex, and education to two control participants who reported never taking benzodiazepines (those with and those without anxiety). The results indicated that long-term benzodiazepine use may lead to impairments in the areas of verbal memory, motor control/performance, and nonverbal memory but not visuospatial skills and attention/concentration. The length of abstinence (> 6 months) indicates that these impairments persist well beyond cessation of benzodiazepine use. However, observed impairments in the area of nonverbal memory were not solely attributable to benzodiazepine use and may be influenced by the elevated anxiety levels present in both the case and the anxious control group.
Barker
Melinda J
MJ
School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Victoria 3086, Australia.
Greenwood
Kenneth M
KM
Jackson
Martin
M
Crowe
Simon F
SF
D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013028:Space Perception; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014796:Visual Perception
D001569:Benzodiazepines