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Published on: June 18, 2014
Differential effects of alprazolam and buspirone upon acquisition, retention, and retrieval processes in memory
J G Barbee1, F W Black, A A Todorov
1Department of Psychiatry, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans 70112.
Abstract:
A group of 125 healthy young adults was given a memory battery 1 hour after administration of alprazolam (0.5 and 1.0 mg), buspirone (5 and 10 mg), and placebo under single-dose, double-blind conditions. On the wordlist recall battery and a 24-hour retest, alprazolam appeared to impair acquisition and retention in dosages of 1.0 mg; buspirone did not adversely affect test performance at either dosage. On the basis of a 3-stage model of memory, a neuroantomical/neurophysiological model is proposed to explain the selective effects of the benzodiazepines on memory function.
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