title: Saccadic eye velocity after selective GABAergic treatment with tiagabine in healthy volunteers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Saccadic eye velocity (SEV) has been shown to be a reliable neurophysiological tool for the assessment of gamma-aminobutyric acid GABA(A) receptor sensitivity. Administration of benzodiazepines targeting the GABA(A) receptor decreases SEV in healthy volunteers. Tiagabine is a new antiepileptic drug which acts via selective blockade of GABA reuptake. Therefore, we examined the effects of tiagabine on saccade parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  SEV was analyzed in 8 healthy volunteers before and after 7 days of tiagabine treatment. Subjects received tiagabine in a daily dose of 15 mg. Saccades were measured using a noninvasive infrared oculographic device. Amplitude, latency, and SEV were analyzed as a function of treatment and target eccentricity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SEV and saccade latency increased with target amplitude. Treatment with tiagabine had no significant effect on SEV and saccade amplitude. A trend was found for increased latencies after tiagabine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to findings with benzodiazepines, tiagabine treatment had no impact on SEV in healthy volunteers. The subchronic tolerance effects or the different site of action on the GABA(A)/BZD receptor complex may account for this deviating profile.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Munich, Nussbaumstrasse 7, DE-80336 Munich, Germany. zwanzger@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zwanzger
authors.forename: Cornelius
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schule
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eser
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Baghai
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Padberg
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ella
authors.forename: Hans-Jürgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Moller
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rupprecht
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kathmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009557:Nipecotic Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects; D012438:Saccades / Q000187:drug effects*; D000078308:Tiagabine; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018755:GABA Agonists; D009557:Nipecotic Acids; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000078308:Tiagabine