title: Abnormal auditory N400 in a case of zolpidem dependence, during a working memory test.
abstract: Zolpidem is a GABA (A) agonist, which is indicated for the short-term management of insomnia. Recent research provide evidence suggesting that zolpidem produces spatial working memory (WM) deficits and dependence; however, the underlying mechanisms of these effects are unknown. Since the auditory N400 component of event-related potentials (ERPS) is considered as an index of memory use of context processing, the present study focused on N400 waveform of ERPs elicited during a WM task in a case suffering from zolpidem dependence. The patterns of N400 waveform of this case were compared to the patterns obtained from healthy controls. This comparison revealed that zolpidem dependence is accompanied by reduced amplitudes located at posterior brain areas and diffuse prolongation of N400. These findings may indicate that zolpidem dependence manifests alterations with regard to the memory use of context processing, involving or affecting a wide-ranging network of the brain's structures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, Eginition Hospital, 74 Vas. Sofias Avenue, 115 28 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Liappas
authors.forename: Charalabos C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Papageorgiou
authors.forename: Andreas D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Rabavilas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011725:Pyridines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D013997:Time Factors; D000077334:Zolpidem
chemical_list: D018755:GABA Agonists; D011725:Pyridines; D000077334:Zolpidem