Evaluation of visual function in healthy subjects after administration of Ro 15-1788

Ro 15-1788 is a specific benzodiazepine antagonist, which has also been shown to have some agonist properties. Since benzodiazepine receptors are involved in the physiological mechanisms of vision, a possible intrinsic effect of Ro15-1788 was sought in 6 healthy volunteers by study of psychophysical flicker thresholds, including critical fusion frequency and low frequency modulation threshold, and pattern reversal visual evoked response, using double blind cross-over methodology. In each session 2 tablets of Ro 15-1788 30 mg were administered. Using a two factorial univariate analysis of variance, no change was detected in any of the parameters studied.