[The effect of a new analgesic, flupirtine, on psychomotor performance in humans]

Psychomotor efficiency was tested on 12 male patients after peroral administration of the analgesically acting monosubstance 2-amino-3-ethoxycarbonyl-amino-6-p-fluorobenzyl aminopyridine (flupirtine, Katadolon) (3 X 100 mg on the previous day and 100 mg before the test) and compared with the peroral administration of diazepam, chlorphenoxamine and a placebo using a combined multiple problem, which tests the fine motor coordination in the peripheral and central field of vision at high vigilance. Compared with the placebo, flupirtine lengthened the reaction time with only slight significance by 2.7 +/- 2.2%, but with significance the mental processing time by 3.0 +/- 1.9%. This sedative effect reached only 41% and 43% respectively of the sedative effect of the antihistamine chlorphenoxamine (80 mg daily dose on the preceding day and 20 mg 1 h before start of the test). Under the hangover effect of diazepam (evenings 10 mg perorally 2 days before and 5 mg perorally on the preceding day) slightly significant shorter times were determined than under flupirtine. Flupirtine does not change the number of standard errors and the uniformity of performance, but it does increase the number of signals overlooked in the experiment, to a considerably lesser degree, however, than chlorphenoxamine. In the hangover of diazepam, the number of standard errors is lower and the number of overlooked signals greater than under flupirtine. The errors and the number of overlooked signals are greatest under chlorphenoxamine.