PSYCHO-PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF DIAZEPAM (VALIUM) AND OF A SMALL PROPORTION OF ALCOHOL IN MAN

EFFETS PSYCHO-PHYSIQUES DU DIAZEPAM (VALIUM) ET D'UNE FAIBLE DOSE D'ALCOOL CHEZ L'HOMME.

The influence of treatment with diazepam (5 mg valium three times daily for four days) and of a moderate ingestion of alcohol (mean blood alcohol concentration 0.35 parts per thousand), separately or in conjunction, on the behaviour of 40 student volunteers aged 20 to 30 years was studied. They were subjected to reaction time tests, both simple and optional, diffused attention tests, tests on co-ordination of movements, statometric tests. The treatment with diazepam delays the reaction in the attention test, reduces the speed of execution of the coordination test and the steadiness of upright posture. The alcohol had no appreciable effect except on the statometric test. The combination of diazepam and alcohol indicated potentially disturbing effects in several of the tests: visual and auditory reaction times, attention, statometric. The more complex tasks were more seriously affected. The variety of individual responses to small dosages of alcohol or diazepam shows the need for caution in the medico-legal interpretation of particular cases. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Schwabe and Company Publishers

  Steinentorstrasse 13
  CH-4010 Basel,   Switzerland 
• Authors:
  • Bernheim, J
  • MICHIELS, W
• Publication Date: 1973-12

Language

• French

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 863-870
• Serial:
  • Journal of Medicine, Switzerland
  • Volume: 103
  • Issue Number: 24
  • Publisher: Schwabe and Company Publishers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcohols; Alertness; Attention; Blood alcohol levels; Coordination; Decision making; Drugs; Human factors; Legal factors; Medical examinations and tests; Motion; Motor reactions; Moving industry; Physiology; Psychological aspects; Psychological tests; Reaction time; Visual perception
• ITRD Terms: 7347: Alcohol; 2238: Attention; 2248: Decision process; 2242: Drugs; 2157: Medical examination; 9050: Moving; 2062: Physiology; 2276: Psychological examination; 2247: Reaction (human)
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00163168
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Analytic
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 16 1978 12:00AM