PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of withdrawal from the long-term use of temazepam, zopiclone or zolpidem as hypnotics drugs (here referred to as BZD) on cognitive performance. METHODS: Ninety-two adults (age ≥55 years) with primary insomnia and who were long-term daily users of BZD volunteered to participate in a 1-month medically supported withdrawal attempt from BZD use, with a subsequent 5-month follow-up. Withdrawal was based on plasma BZD measurements at baseline, at 1 month and during subsequent regular clinical appointments. Attention and psychomotor performance were measured using the CogniSpeed® at baseline and at 1, 2 and 6 months. Reaction times were determined in the Simple Reaction Time (SRT), Two-Choice Reaction Time (2-CRT) and Vigilance tests, and errors were measured by the 2-CRT and Vigilance tests. The cognition data of the withdrawal group were also compared with a cohort of BZD non-users. RESULTS: Eighty-nine (97 %) participants (59 women, 30 men) were followed-up for a maximum of 6 months. During the follow-up period, changes in reaction times and errors did not differ between short-term withdrawers (no residual BZD at 1 month; N = 69), non-withdrawers (residual BZD at 1 month; N = 20) or long-term withdrawers (N = 34). Compared to the reaction times of the BZD-free cohort, those of BZD users were slower at baseline. The reaction times of BZD withdrawers based on the results of the SRT or 2-CRT tests during follow-up did not reach those of the BZD-free cohort, but there was no difference between these groups in the Vigilance test. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term use of BDZ as hypnotic drugs by older adults is related to prolonged impairment of attentional and psychomotor cognitive functioning that persists for at least 6 months after withdrawal.
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of withdrawal from the long-term use of temazepam, zopiclone or zolpidem as hypnotics drugs (here referred to as BZD) on cognitive performance. METHODS: Ninety-two adults (age ≥55 years) with primary insomnia and who were long-term daily users of BZD volunteered to participate in a 1-month medically supported withdrawal attempt from BZD use, with a subsequent 5-month follow-up. Withdrawal was based on plasma BZD measurements at baseline, at 1 month and during subsequent regular clinical appointments. Attention and psychomotor performance were measured using the CogniSpeed® at baseline and at 1, 2 and 6 months. Reaction times were determined in the Simple Reaction Time (SRT), Two-Choice Reaction Time (2-CRT) and Vigilance tests, and errors were measured by the 2-CRT and Vigilance tests. The cognition data of the withdrawal group were also compared with a cohort of BZD non-users. RESULTS: Eighty-nine (97 %) participants (59 women, 30 men) were followed-up for a maximum of 6 months. During the follow-up period, changes in reaction times and errors did not differ between short-term withdrawers (no residual BZD at 1 month; N = 69), non-withdrawers (residual BZD at 1 month; N = 20) or long-term withdrawers (N = 34). Compared to the reaction times of the BZD-free cohort, those of BZD users were slower at baseline. The reaction times of BZD withdrawers based on the results of the SRT or 2-CRT tests during follow-up did not reach those of the BZD-free cohort, but there was no difference between these groups in the Vigilance test. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term use of BDZ as hypnotic drugs by older adults is related to prolonged impairment of attentional and psychomotor cognitive functioning that persists for at least 6 months after withdrawal.
Authors: John Gallacher; Peter Elwood; Janet Pickering; Antony Bayer; Mark Fish; Yoav Ben-Shlomo Journal: J Epidemiol Community Health Date: 2011-10-27 Impact factor: 3.710
Authors: E J M Bierman; H C Comijs; C M Gundy; C Sonnenberg; C Jonker; A T F Beekman Journal: Int J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2007-12 Impact factor: 3.485
Authors: Christopher N Kaufmann; Adam P Spira; G Caleb Alexander; Lainie Rutkow; Ramin Mojtabai Journal: Am J Emerg Med Date: 2017-04-14 Impact factor: 2.469
Authors: Amy T Page; Rhonda M Clifford; Kathleen Potter; Darren Schwartz; Christopher D Etherton-Beer Journal: Br J Clin Pharmacol Date: 2016-06-13 Impact factor: 4.335
Authors: Janne Nurminen; Juha Puustinen; Ritva Lähteenmäki; Tero Vahlberg; Alan Lyles; Markku Partinen; Ismo Räihä; Pertti J Neuvonen; Sirkka-Liisa Kivelä Journal: BMC Geriatr Date: 2014-11-21 Impact factor: 3.921
Authors: Lorenzo Zamboni; Igor Portoghese; Alessio Congiu; Thomas Zandonai; Rebecca Casari; Francesca Fusina; Anna Bertoldi; Fabio Lugoboni Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2022-01-25 Impact factor: 4.157
Authors: Juha Puustinen; Ritva Lähteenmäki; Janne Nurminen; Tero Vahlberg; Pertti Aarnio; Markku Partinen; Ismo Räihä; Pertti J Neuvonen; Sirkka-Liisa Kivelä Journal: BMC Geriatr Date: 2018-06-15 Impact factor: 3.921