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Alpidem and psychological performance in elderly subjects.

I Hindmarch1

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Leeds, England.

Pharmacopsychiatry
|May 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary

Elderly volunteers showed no significant cognitive impairment from low doses of alpidem. Higher doses caused temporary side effects, highlighting the need for careful psychometric testing in geriatric psychopharmacology.

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Area of Science:

  • Geriatric Psychopharmacology
  • Neuroscience
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Aging is associated with increased sensitivity to psychotropic medications and their side effects.
  • Accurate assessment of drug-induced side effects in the elderly requires validated psychometric tools.
  • Understanding dose-dependent effects of anxiolytics is crucial for safe prescribing in older populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the psychometric side effects of varying doses of alpidem in elderly volunteers.
  • To determine the necessity of psychometric test batteries for measuring drug-induced side effects in aging populations.
  • To compare the effects of alpidem with placebo and a known sedative (lorazepam).

Main Methods:

  • A placebo and verum (lorazepam 2 mg) controlled crossover study design was employed.
  • Elderly volunteers received acute doses of alpidem (25, 50, and 100 mg).
  • A comprehensive psychometric test battery assessed cognitive, sensori-motor, and information processing functions.

Main Results:

  • Lorazepam (verum) significantly affected all measured psychometric parameters, confirming test battery sensitivity.
  • Alpidem doses of 25 mg and 50 mg showed no significant psychometric differences compared to placebo.
  • A transient cognitive deterioration was observed 1 hour after 100 mg alpidem, which resolved by 3 hours.

Conclusions:

  • Alpidem, at the tested doses, did not produce significant sustained psychometric side effects in elderly volunteers.
  • The study underscores the importance of sensitive psychometric assessments to detect subtle drug effects in the elderly.
  • Careful dose selection and monitoring remain essential when prescribing psychotropic medications to aging individuals.

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