title: A process-based approach to characterizing the effect of acute alprazolam challenge on visual paired associate learning and memory in healthy older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine that, when administered acutely, results in impairments in several aspects of cognition, including attention, learning, and memory. However, the profile (i.e., component processes) that underlie alprazolam-related decrements in visual paired associate learning has not been fully explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over study of healthy older adults, we used a novel, "process-based" computerized measure of visual paired associate learning to examine the effect of a single, acute 1-mg dose of alprazolam on component processes of visual paired associate learning and memory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acute alprazolam challenge was associated with a large magnitude reduction in visual paired associate learning and memory performance (d = 1.05). Process-based analyses revealed significant increases in distractor, exploratory, between-search, and within-search error types. Analyses of percentages of each error type suggested that, relative to placebo, alprazolam challenge resulted in a decrease in the percentage of exploratory errors and an increase in the percentage of distractor errors, both of which reflect memory processes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of this study suggest that acute alprazolam challenge decreases visual paired associate learning and memory performance by reducing the strength of the association between pattern and location, which may reflect a general breakdown in memory consolidation, with less evidence of reductions in executive processes (e.g., working memory) that facilitate visual paired associate learning and memory.
authors.affiliation: National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Clinical Neurosciences Division, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA. robert.pietrzak@yale.edu
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Pietrzak
authors.forename: James Cobb
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Harel
authors.forename: Yen Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maruff
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000525:Alprazolam / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001245:Association Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D018755:GABA Agonists; D000525:Alprazolam