Selective attention and distractibility after 12 week of treatment with alprazolam in general anxiety patients using the continuous performance task

SORIA CA, REMEDI C, D' ALESSIO L, ROLDÁN EJA.; SORIA CA, REMEDI C; D`ALESSIO L, REMEDI C, SORIA CA, ROLDÁN EJA.

BUENOS AIRES

Congreso; Congress of the Federation of Latin-American and Caribbean Societies for Neuroscience (FALAN); 2016

Federation of Latin-American and Caribbean Societies for Neuroscience

Purpose Alprazolam has well known anxiolytic properties, but its influence on the stress system and on cognition are still controversial. The aim of this observational study was to determine the selective attention outcome after 12 week of alprazolam treatment in anxiety patients with allostatic load. Methods: Fifty-two patients with GAD (general anxiety disorders, DSM IV), with >6 in Hamilton scale (HAM-A), allostatic load (>3 Crimmins criteria) were included. All patients underwent clinical, neurochemical (salivary MHPG-methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol-and cortisol), and cognitive assessment with the continuous performance task at basal, and after treatment (2 weeks, 12 weeks). All patients received on demand alprazolam (0.25-1mg/t.i.d/12weeks). Student´s t-test, ANOVA and Pearson?s correlations were determined.Results: Fifty-two patients were included. No differences in the correct answers, the reaction time, and the omission errors were found after alprazolam treatment (p>0.05). A moderate and negative correlation between MHPG levels and time of reaction (r = -0.3; p