EYE-MOVEMENT EFFECTS OF DIAZEPAM IN SONS OF ALCOHOLIC FATHERS AND MALE CONTROL SUBJECTS

Both animal and human studies suggest that the GABA-benzodiazepine rec eptor complex may be involved in the acute effects of ethanol, as well as the development of tolerance and dependence with chronic ethanol u se. The current study was performed to assess sensitivity to benzodiaz epines, and thus the functional sensitivity of the GABA-benzodiazepine receptor system, in subjects at high risk for alcoholism. Sons of alc oholic fathers (SOAs; n = 27) were compared with male controls without a family history of alcoholism (n = 23) in response to diazepam versu s placebo. SOAs and controls received four logarithmically increasing doses of intravenous diazepam or placebo in randomized order on 2 days at least 1 week apart. Effects of diazepam were assessed using two ey e movement tasks, peak saccadic eye movement velocity, and average smo oth pursuit eye movement gain, which provide reliable, quantitative me asures of benrodiazepine effects. In addition, memory, self-rated seda tion, and pleasurable drug effects were measured. In comparison with c ontrol subjects, SOAs displayed significantly less diazepam effects on peak saccade velocity, average smooth pursuit gain, memory, and self- rated sedation, but significantly greater pleasurable drug effects. Di fferences in response to diazepam between SOAs and male controls may r eflect altered functional sensitivity of the central GABA-benzodiazepi ne receptor system or a more general difference between groups in the effects of CNS active or sedating drugs.