Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026
08:30
Operant Procedures for Assessing Behavioral Flexibility in Rats
Published on: February 15, 2015
[The Halcion affair in 1979, a false alarm?]
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde
|November 4, 1989
Summary
Triazolam, a hypnotic drug, was linked to severe psychic disturbances and withdrawal symptoms. These issues, termed the "triazolam syndrome," led to its global market withdrawal due to high doses and short half-life.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacovigilance
- Clinical Psychology
- Neuroscience
Context:
- In 1979, the Netherlands Centre for Monitoring of Adverse Reactions to Drugs (NARD) noted numerous reports of complex psychic disturbances linked to triazolam.
- These initial observations were difficult to interpret due to limited understanding of benzodiazepine withdrawal syndromes.
Purpose:
- To analyze the adverse events reported for triazolam and correlate them with established benzodiazepine withdrawal phenomena.
- To investigate the potential causes of the observed 'triazolam syndrome' and its implications for drug safety.
Summary:
- A high incidence of unusual psychic disturbances was reported with triazolam use, initially challenging interpretation.
- Over time, a distinct benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome emerged, sharing similarities with triazolam-associated adverse events.
- The 'triazolam syndrome' is hypothesized to result from potent benzodiazepine effects combined with withdrawal, exacerbated by the drug's short half-life and high dosages.
Impact:
- The NARD's signal regarding triazolam's safety was a crucial early warning, prompting reevaluation of its risks and dosage.
- Triazolam, particularly 1 mg and 0.5 mg tablets, was subsequently withdrawn globally.
- This case highlights the importance of pharmacovigilance in identifying and understanding drug-induced syndromes, especially with newer medications.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Acid Halides to Ketones: Gilman Reagent
Lithium dialkyl cuprate, also known as Gilman reagents, selectively reduces acid halides to ketones. The acid chloride is treated with Gilman reagent at −78 °C in the presence of ether solution to produce a ketone in good yield.
As shown below, the mechanism proceeds in two steps. First, one of the alkyl groups of the reagent acts as a nucleophile and attacks the acyl carbon of the acid chloride to form a tetrahedral intermediate. This is followed by the reformation of the carbon–oxygen double...
As shown below, the mechanism proceeds in two steps. First, one of the alkyl groups of the reagent acts as a nucleophile and attacks the acyl carbon of the acid chloride to form a tetrahedral intermediate. This is followed by the reformation of the carbon–oxygen double...
01:20Diazonium Group Substitution with Halogens and Cyanide: Sandmeyer and Schiemann Reactions
Arenediazonium substitution reactions occur when the diazonium group is substituted by various functional groups such as halides, hydroxyl, nitrile, etc. For instance, arenediazonium salts react with copper(I) salts of chloride, bromide, or cyanide to form corresponding aryl chlorides, bromides, and nitriles. These reactions are named Sandmeyer reactions. Although the mechanism of this reaction is complicated, as illustrated in Figure 1, they are believed to progress via an aryl copper...
01:19Diazonium Group Substitution: –OH and –H
Nitrous acid, a weak acid, is prepared in situ via the reaction of sodium nitrite with a strong acid under cold conditions. This nitrous acid prepared in situ reacts with primary arylamines to form arenediazonium salts. Such reactions are known as diazotization reactions. As shown in Figure 1, the formation of arenediazonium salts begins with the decomposition of nitrous acid in an acidic solution to give nitrosonium ions.
01:22Mass Spectrometry: Alkyl Halide Fragmentation
Chlorine isotopes exist as 35Cl and 37Cl in a 3:1 ratio, while bromine isotopes exist as 79Br and 81Br in a 1:1 ratio. The mass spectrum of alkyl halides typically produces two distinct molecular ion peaks, the molecular ion peak, [M], and the molecular ion plus two, [M + 2] peak. The relative heights of these two peaks are proportional to the isotopic abundance ratios of the halide. For example, 2‐chloropropane and 1‐bromopropane display two peaks with relative peak heights in a 3:1 and 1:1...
01:26Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios
Pharmaceutical poisoning can occur through various channels, impacting an estimated 2 million hospitalized patients in the U.S. annually with serious adverse drug responses. These scenarios encompass both therapeutic uses, such as drug toxicity, where even standard dosages can lead to severe central nervous system depression, and non-therapeutic exposures, including accidental ingestion by children, and environmental and occupational exposures.Unintentional poisonings often involve exploratory...
01:18False Memories
False memories represent a cognitive distortion in which individuals recall events that did not happen, or remember them in an altered form. This phenomenon highlights the brain's constructive nature in processing and recalling memories, emphasizing that memory is not a perfect representation of past events but rather a dynamic reconstruction influenced by various factors.
One primary source of false memories is misattribution, where individuals incorrectly associate external information with...
One primary source of false memories is misattribution, where individuals incorrectly associate external information with...