Effects of ethanol and temazepam on episodic and semantic memory: a dose–response comparison

✍ Scribed by B. Tiplady; C. Harding; D. McLean; C. Ortner; K. Porter; P. Wright

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 217 KB
• Volume: 14
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6222
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-1077(199906)14:4<263::aid-hup98>3.0.co;2-c

✦ Synopsis

Drug-induced memory impairment is most apparent for long-term memory, but it is unclear whether this eect is restricted to episodic memory with no eect on semantic memory. Here we compare how the formation of new semantic and episodic memories are aected by ethanol and temazepam. Eighteen subjects (12 male, 6 female; age 19±43 years; weight 52±104 kg) took part in ®ve sessions in which they received by mouth, in random order: (E2) ethanol, 0 . 8 g/kg, maximum 60 g males, 50 g females; (E1) ethanol, 75 per cent of the dose for E1; (T2) temazepam 20 mg; (T1) temazepam 15 mg; (P) placebo. They carried out a series of tests including learning of invented `facts, a measure of the acquisition of new semantic memory; the Buschke test, a measure of short-and long-term learning of words; Digit±Symbol substitution, a measure of psychomotor speed; and Visual Analogue Scales. Both acquisition of new semantic memory and the long-term measure from the Buschke were impaired by both drugs. The eects of ethanol were more marked than those of temazepam for the memory tests at the doses used here, particularly for the Buschke. Psychomotor impairment as assessed by Digit±Symbol substitution speed was equally aected by both drugs. Subjects rated themselves more drunk on ethanol than on temazepam, but drowsiness was similar for the two drugs. These results show that both drugs impair the acquisition of new semantic memory as well as new episodic memory, and suggest that it is new long-term memory formation that is impaired by these drugs and not the formation of a speci®c type of memory, such as episodic memory.