Am J Psychiatry 1991; 148:73-77
Copyright © 1991 by American Psychiatric Association
Effects of buspirone and alprazolam on the cognitive performance of normal elderly subjects
RP Hart, CC Colenda and RM Hamer
Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond.
OBJECTIVE: To increase understanding of the potential in elderly persons
for disability related to behavioral side effects of anxiolytic
medications, cognitive and psychomotor effects of clinical doses of
buspirone and a popular intermediate-acting benzodiazepine, alprazolam,
were examined in carefully screened, healthy elderly subjects. METHOD:
Sixty subjects recruited through community organizations and newspaper
advertisements and screened on the basis of history, physical examination,
and laboratory studies were randomly assigned to one of three drug
treatment groups. After 2 days of washout placebo, subjects were given 0.25
mg t.i.d. of alprazolam, 5 mg t.i.d. of buspirone, or placebo three times a
day for a total of 14 days in a double-blind design. Behavioral assessments
were completed beginning 1 hour after ingestion of medication on the second
washout placebo day, day 1 of the treatment period, and day 14 of the
treatment period. Tests included the continuous performance test, recall
memory for word lists, digit- symbol substitution, retention of pictorial
stimuli over 1 hour, the Profile of Mood States, and subjective ratings of
mental status. RESULTS: Buspirone did not affect reaction time, vigilance,
psychomotor speed, or memory function. Alprazolam had minimal effects on
vigilance, psychomotor speed, and memory on the first treatment day and had
no effects after repeated doses. CONCLUSIONS: Buspirone did not produce
behavioral side effects that could lead to disability, and alprazolam had
minimal side effects. Because the patients were carefully screened, it is
unclear whether these medications in the doses used would have more side
effects in less healthy elderly patients.
