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Use of Lorazepam in drug-assisted interviews: two cases of dissociative amnesia

Sang-Shin Lee1, Sinhyung Park, Si-Sung Park

  • 1Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Busan, Korea.

Psychiatry Investigation
|January 5, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Lorazepam-assisted interviews offer a safe and effective alternative for treating dissociative amnesia. This method provides therapeutic benefits similar to traditional amobarbital interviews but with reduced respiratory risks.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Pharmacology
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Drug-assisted interviews aid psychiatric diagnosis and treatment.
  • Amobarbital, a common agent, carries risks like respiratory depression.
  • Benzodiazepines present a safer alternative with comparable efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of lorazepam-assisted interviews for dissociative amnesia.
  • To explore alternatives to amobarbital for drug-assisted interviews.

Main Methods:

  • Case study of two patients with dissociative amnesia.
  • Utilized lorazepam-assisted interviews for treatment.
  • Assessed treatment outcomes and safety profile.

Main Results:

  • Lorazepam-assisted interviews were effective in resolving dissociative amnesia in both cases.
  • The treatment demonstrated a favorable safety profile with no reported complications.
  • This method proved beneficial for patients unresponsive to conventional therapies.

Conclusions:

  • Lorazepam-assisted interviews are a safe and effective therapeutic option for dissociative amnesia.
  • Benzodiazepines like lorazepam are viable substitutes for amobarbital in drug-assisted interviews.
  • This approach may benefit selected patients with treatment-resistant dissociative amnesia.
Keywords:
Dissociative amnesiaDrug-assisted interviewLorazepam

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