LEARNING AND MEMORY IMPAIRMENT IN OLDER, DETOXIFIED, BENZODIAZEPINE-DEPENDENT PATIENTS

The effects of benzodiazepine dependence on the ability to learn and r emember new material (determined with the Auditory-Verbal Learning Tes t) were studied in 20 detoxified, benzodiazepine-dependent patients wh o were 55 years of age or older and in a drug-dependence rehabilitatio n program. The patients were matched approximately for age, sex, and I Q with 20 detoxified, alcohol-dependent patients in the same rehabilit ation program and 22 control subjects from a community sample. Neurops ychologic testing was performed a mean of 6 to 10 days after the patie nts had been completely detoxified from the addicting substance. The b enzodiazepine-dependent patients had more difficulty with tests of lea rning and short-term and delayed recall than did the alcohol-dependent or control group. The difference between the benzodiazepine-dependent patients and the control group was statistically significant. The res ults suggest that benzodiazepine dependence in older people can cause memory impairment that persists into the early drug-free period.