Specific oculomotor deficit after diazepam: II. Smooth pursuit eye movements

SJ Rothenberg, D Selkoe - Psychopharmacology, 1981 - Springer
SJ Rothenberg, D Selkoe
Psychopharmacology, 1981Springer
Abstract Changes in smooth pursuit eye tracking of horizontal sinusoidal target movement
before and after up to 10 mg oral diazepam were measured electrooculographically in
diazepam-naive humans. Diazepam produced a dose-dependent reduction in gain of
pursuit eye movements at target frequencies of 0.4–1.6 Hz. Cross-correlation of eye and
track was significantly reduced at most frequencies showing gain reduction after 10 mg
diazepam. Eye-target phase relationship was not systematically altered by drug. Visual …
Abstract
Changes in smooth pursuit eye tracking of horizontal sinusoidal target movement before and after up to 10 mg oral diazepam were measured electrooculographically in diazepam-naive humans. Diazepam produced a dose-dependent reduction in gain of pursuit eye movements at target frequencies of 0.4–1.6 Hz. Cross-correlation of eye and track was significantly reduced at most frequencies showing gain reduction after 10 mg diazepam. Eye-target phase relationship was not systematically altered by drug. Visual inspection of smooth pursuit tracking records showed reduced peak-to-peak amplitude of eye tracking along with replacement of smooth pursuit with saccadic pursuit, especially after 10 mg. Changes in smooth pursuit eye tracking after diazepam were similar to those changes reported in the literature associated with olivopontocerebellar atrophy and were quite unlike the changes in smooth pursuit after opiates, as previously reported. The role of cerebellar benzodiazepine binding sites in diazepam disruption of eye tracking was discussed.
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