Comparative effect in human subjects of chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, and placebo on mental and physical performance

Abstract

Two tranquilizers, chlordiazepoxide and diazepam, and placebo medication were studied in 18 subjects for their effects on mental and motor performance with and without small amounts of ethanol. Attentive motor performance was measured with a pursuit meter developed by the authors. Ethanol was the only drug used alone that impaired motor performance. Over‐all drug‐alcohol interaction was not significant with diazepam or chlordiazepoxide. However, in one pattern, a synergistic effect of diazepam with alcohol occurred. Mental performance was measured with a delayed auditory feedback system. The subiects had nine verbal or arithmetical tests on six different occasions on a 6 x 6 random plan. By this procedure only alcohol effected a decrease in performance scores. No appreciable additive effect of chlordiazepoxide or diazepam with alcohol (in low blood concentration) was evident.