This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Smith, A.P. Articles by Nutt, D.J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Smith, A.P. Articles by Nutt, D.J. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The effects and after effects of the 2-adrenoceptor antagonist idazoxan on mood, memory and attention in normal volunteers

Health Psychology Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Wales College of Cardiff, Cardiff CF1 3YG

S.J. Wilson

Reckitt & Colman Psychopharmacology Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University Walk, Bristol BS8 ITD, UK

P. Glue

Reckitt & Colman Psychopharmacology Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University Walk, Bristol BS8 ITD, UK

D.J. Nutt

Reckitt & Colman Psychopharmacology Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University Walk, Bristol BS8 ITD, UK

Idazoxan, an ₂-adrenoceptor antagonist, is an effective antidepressant with a mode of action different from that of conventional antidepressants. As it is used as an antidepressant it is important to know whether there are any unwanted CNS side effects. Study of its effects will also provide information on the relationship between noradrenergic function and mood and performance. Twelve normal male volunteers who were given the drug (40 mg orally three times daily for 21 days) were compared with 12 matched controls. A computerized test battery was used to assess mood and various aspects of memory and attention. Many of the tests of memory and attention in the battery have been widely used over the last 20 years, and in addition two new selective attention tasks were included. The subjects were tested 3 days before starting the drug, on days 3 and 17 while on the drug, and after they had stopped taking the drug (4 days after and 24 days after). Control subjects followed a similar testing schedule. The results showed that the drug had no effect on mood, logical reasoning, retrieval from semantic memory or sustained attention. However, the drug did improve one aspect of selective attention (the place repetition effect), although this effect was only observed on the third day on the drug. Overall, the results suggest that idazoxan produces selective performance improvements, and that the measures of selective attention used here may be more sensitive indicators of drug effects than some of the traditional tasks currently in use.

Key Words: idazoxan • mood • memory • attention

Journal of Psychopharmacology, Vol. 6, No. 3, 376-381 (1992)
DOI: 10.1177/026988119200600306


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Jakobsen, K. Pedersen, D. F. Smith, S. B. Jensen, O. L. Munk, and P. Cumming Detection of {alpha}2-Adrenergic Receptors in Brain of Living Pig with 11C-Yohimbine J. Nucl. Med., December 1, 2006; 47(12): 2008 - 2015. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A.P. Smith, H. Whitney, M. Thomas, P. Brockman, and K. Perry A comparison of the acute effects of a low dose of alcohol on mood and performance of healthy volunteers and subjects with upper respiratory tract illnesses J Psychopharmacol, January 1, 1995; 9(3): 267 - 272. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. J. Nutt Putting the 'A' in atypical: does {alpha}2-adrenoceptor antagonism account for the therapeutic advantage of new antipsychotics? J Psychopharmacol, January 1, 1994; 8(4): 193 - 195. [PDF]

				A.P. Smith, A. Maben, and P. Brockman The effects of caffeine and evening meals on sleep and performance, mood and cardiovascular functioning the following day J Psychopharmacol, January 1, 1993; 7(2): 203 - 206. [Abstract] [PDF]