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Mnestic disorders in long-term high-dose diazepam abuse: a pilot study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

HG Weeß ,
R Steinberg  and
M Pritzel
HG Weeß
Affiliation:
Pfalzklinik Landeck, Weinstraβe 100, 76889 Klingenmünster
R Steinberg
Affiliation:
Pfalzklinik Landeck, Weinstraβe 100, 76889 Klingenmünster
M Pritzel
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University Koblenz-Landau Im Fort 7, 76829Landau, Germany
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Summary

Cognitive impairment in long-term high-dose diazepam abusers (dose > 30 mg diazepam/day; duration of abuse > 12 months) was examined by administering four memory-related tests and comparing the outcomes with those of matched controls. Deficits were found in spatial and visual learning, spatial and visual short-term memory (STM) as well as for spatial and visual long-term memory (LTM). As for verbal aspects of memory, solely the acquisition of novel verbal material (verbal learning) was impaired, Furthermore, deficits in a concentration task were observed. In chronic abuse the established memory deficits are similar to cognitive impairment after single doses. Relaxing or anxiety-reducing effects of diazepam were no longer present. The results of this experimental study demonstrate the risks of diazepam use beyond therapeutic range.

Keywords

benzodiazepinesdiazepammemorycognitionlong-term high-dose abuse
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 9 , Issue 5 , 1994 , pp. 254 - 259
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier, Paris 1994

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