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Clinical Relevance of Effects of Benzodiazepines on Learning and Memory

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Benzodiazepine Receptor Ligands, Memory and Information Processing

Part of the book series: Psychopharmacology Series ((PSYCHOPHARM,volume 6))

Abstract

The effects of benzodiazepines on learning and memory are examined in the various clinical situations in which these drugs are used. Alterations in performance arising from the conditions for which benzodiazepines are prescribed are also considered. Current evidence indicates that, in anxious patients, as in normal volunteers, benzodiazepines impair the acquisition of new information (episodic memory). Although some tolerance may develop to these impairments, deficits are observed even after patients have been taking their medication chronically. Like amnesic patients, benzodiazepine-treated subjects may be unaware of their impaired ability to learn. The effects of the impairments on behavioral psychotherapies are considered.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Clinical Studies, DICBR, NIAAA, Building 10 Room 3C218, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    R. G. Lister, M. J. Eckardt & M. Linnoila

  2. Department of Psychology, George Washington University, Washington DC, USA

    H. Weingartner

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  1. R. G. Lister
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  2. H. Weingartner
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  3. M. J. Eckardt
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  4. M. Linnoila
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Human Psychopharmacology Research Unit, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UK

    Ian Hindmarch (Head) (Head)

  2. Research Laboratories Department Pharmacopsychology, Schering AG, P. O. Box 65 03 11, 1000, Berlin 65, Federal Republic of Germany

    Helmut Ott

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© 1988 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Lister, R.G., Weingartner, H., Eckardt, M.J., Linnoila, M. (1988). Clinical Relevance of Effects of Benzodiazepines on Learning and Memory. In: Hindmarch, I., Ott, H. (eds) Benzodiazepine Receptor Ligands, Memory and Information Processing. Psychopharmacology Series, vol 6. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-73288-1_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-73288-1_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-73290-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-73288-1

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