A process-based approach to characterizing the effect of acute alprazolam challenge on visual paired associate learning and memory in healthy older adults

Hum Psychopharmacol. 2012 Nov;27(6):549-58. doi: 10.1002/hup.2263. Epub 2012 Oct 2.

Abstract

Objective: Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine that, when administered acutely, results in impairments in several aspects of cognition, including attention, learning, and memory. However, the profile (i.e., component processes) that underlie alprazolam-related decrements in visual paired associate learning has not been fully explored.

Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over study of healthy older adults, we used a novel, "process-based" computerized measure of visual paired associate learning to examine the effect of a single, acute 1-mg dose of alprazolam on component processes of visual paired associate learning and memory.

Results: Acute alprazolam challenge was associated with a large magnitude reduction in visual paired associate learning and memory performance (d = 1.05). Process-based analyses revealed significant increases in distractor, exploratory, between-search, and within-search error types. Analyses of percentages of each error type suggested that, relative to placebo, alprazolam challenge resulted in a decrease in the percentage of exploratory errors and an increase in the percentage of distractor errors, both of which reflect memory processes.

Conclusions: Results of this study suggest that acute alprazolam challenge decreases visual paired associate learning and memory performance by reducing the strength of the association between pattern and location, which may reflect a general breakdown in memory consolidation, with less evidence of reductions in executive processes (e.g., working memory) that facilitate visual paired associate learning and memory.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging*
  • Alprazolam / adverse effects*
  • Anti-Anxiety Agents / adverse effects*
  • Association Learning / drug effects*
  • Attention / drug effects
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Exploratory Behavior / drug effects
  • Female
  • GABA Agonists / adverse effects*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Memory / drug effects*
  • Memory, Short-Term / drug effects
  • Middle Aged
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Task Performance and Analysis
  • Visual Perception / drug effects*

Substances

  • Anti-Anxiety Agents
  • GABA Agonists
  • Alprazolam