Effects of anxiolytics on memory

Drugs used in the treatment of anxiety disorders can produce impairments of cognitive functions. This article provides an overview and summary of rese arch on the effects of anxiolytics upon human memory. Research with the ben zodiazepines has shown that they produce a differential pattern of memory d eficits whereby episodic memory is dose-dependently impaired but other memo ry systems are preserved relatively intact. Other anti-anxiety drugs have r eceived relatively little research attention in terms of their memory effec ts. Recent studies imply that beta-blockers may produce poor memory particu larly for emotionally valent information and that, at higher doses, buspiro ne may have detrimental effects on verbal recall. Studies with anxious pati ents suggest that tolerance does not fully develop to the amnestic effects of benzodiazepines over repeated use. Further, residual memory impairments appear to persist for a time beyond cessation of use of these drugs. The im portance is stressed of assessing the effects of novel anxiolytics on a wid e range of memory functions in clinical populations as well as in healthy v olunteers. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.