Dj. King et al., THE EFFECTS OF REMOXIPRIDE AND CHLORPROMAZINE ON EYE-MOVEMENTS AND PSYCHOMOTOR PERFORMANCE IN HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS, J PSYCHOPH, 9(2), 1995, pp. 143-149
Fifteen healthy male volunteers received single doses of 100 mg immedi
ate release remoxipride (IR), 150 mg controlled release remoxipride (C
R), 50 mg chlorpromazine (CPZ), 2 mg lorazepam (LZ), and placebo in a
randomised, five-period cross-over study. Both saccadic (SEM) and smoo
th pursuit eye movements (SPEM) as well as a battery of psychomotor pe
rformance tests were assessed at 1.5-h intervals over 9 h following dr
ug administration. The areas under the response-time curves and the ma
ximum effect during the study period were analysed by analysis of vari
ance. The most consistent impairments were produced by LZ. The neurole
ptics caused impairments to SEM, and tended to impair critical flicker
fusion, continuous attention and both paced and unpaced versions of t
he digit-symbol substitution test as well as subjective measures of se
dation. Only LZ impaired SPEM. Neither paced nor unpaced psychomotor t
ests distinguished between neuroleptics and benzodiazepines. The low t
herapeutic doses of IR and CR produced similar impairments to a sub-th
erapeutic dose of CPZ. Selectivity of pharmacological action does not
appear to predict selectivity of effect on psychomotor function.