DISSOCIATION OF BENZODIAZEPINE-INDUCED AMNESIA FROM SEDATION BY FLUMAZENIL PRETREATMENT

AThe human amnestic syndrome associated with lesions of the hippocampus and amygdala is characterized by a selective impairment of recent (explicit, episodic) memory. Benzodiazepine (BZ) treated normal subjects demonstrate similar, marked impairments in episodic memory, but in addition, BZ also induces sedation and inattention. Thus, the amnestic effects of BZ may be secondary to drug-induced sedation. However, when subjects were pretreated with the specific BZ receptor antagonist, flumazenil, the sedative and attentional effects of diazepam were blocked, but a marked impairment in episodic memory still occurred. This demonstrates that, using neuropharmacological, methods, it is possible to produce a dissociation of memory impairment from inattention and sedation. Such distinct patterns of cognitive dysfunction may serve as models for clinical cognitive syndromes.