Effects of single doses of Etizolam and Lorazepam on psychomotor performance in healthy volunteers.

This study investigated the possible effects of Etizolam on human psychomotor performance. Sixteen young healthy volunteers, eight male and eight female, were recruited as subjects. Drugs (Lorazepam 2 mg, Etizolam 0.25, Etizolam 1 mg) and placebo were administered according to a single-dose, double-blind, balanced, four-way, crossover design. Subjects' psychomotor performance was assessed at baseline and at 30, 60, 120 and 180 min after treatment. Psychomotor performance was measured using the following tests: Critical Flicker Fusion, Visual Vigilance Task, Choice Reaction Time, Critical Tracking Task, Response Competition Test. Etizolam at both doses had no effect on vigilance, short term memory, psychomotor co-ordination or speed of decision making. Nevertheless, at the dose of 1 mg, it did play a significant role in impairing arousal. Lorazepam caused significant impairment of all psychomotor functions tested in the experiment. After single therapeutic doses, Etizolam does not induce important changes in psychomotor performance and therefore the drug does not influence the ability to drive or work.