학술논문
The effects of idazoxan on reaction times, eye movements and the mood of healthy volunteers and patients with upper respiratory tract illnesses.
Document Type
Journal Article
Author
Source
Subject
*PSYCHIATRIC drugs
*RESPIRATORY infections
*ADRENERGIC alpha blockers
*AFFECT (Psychology)
*BRAIN
*CLINICAL trials
*COMPARATIVE studies
*EYE movements
*RESEARCH methodology
*MEDICAL cooperation
*NORADRENALINE
*REACTION time
*RESEARCH
*EVALUATION research
*PAIN measurement
*BLIND experiment
*PHARMACODYNAMICS
*PSYCHOLOGY
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Language
ISSN
0269-8811
Abstract
An experiment was carried out to determine whether idazoxan, a drug which increases the turnover of central noradrenaline, removes the malaise (reduced alertness, slower psychomotor performance) associated with upper respiratory tract illness (URTI). Eighty-one volunteers were tested when healthy and 17 returned to the laboratory when they developed URTIs. Those who remained healthy were then recalled as a control group. Volunteers were tested before and after receiving either idazoxan (40mg) or a lactose placebo. Idazoxan removed the URTI-induced slowing in a simple reaction time task and this group performed at a comparable level to the healthy group. No significant stimulant effect of idazoxan was found in the healthy subjects. The results suggest that at least part of the malaise induced by URTIs may reflect reductions in central noradrenaline and that this can be reversed by compounds such as idazoxan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]