The effect of the benzodiazepine antagonist, flumazenil, on psychometric performance in acute ethanol intoxication in man.

The effect on cognitive and psychomotor performance of the benzodiazepine (BZD) antagonist, flumazenil, in antagonising the central effect, of ethanol in man has been investigated. Eight healthy adult male volunteers, aged 23 to 32 years, participated in the study. Following a loading infusion, stable blood ethanol levels with a mean value of 1.6 g x l-1 were produced by a maintenance infusion. When stable blood levels of ethanol were reached, 5.0 mg flumazenil/placebo was administered intravenously, and after 15 and 75 min a test battery evaluating psychomotor and cognitive functions was applied. The test battery was sensitive to the test model, but no significant improvement in the test scores could be demonstrated following the administration of flumazenil. It is concluded that flumazenil has no influence on psychomotor functions in acute ethanol intoxication.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes