Cognitive, psychomotor, and subjective effects of sodium oxybate and triazolam in healthy volunteers

Abstract

Illicit gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) has received attention as a "date rape drug" that produces robust amnesia; however, there is little experimental evidence in support of GHB's amnestic effects. This study compared the cognitive effects of GHB (sodium oxybate) with those of triazolam in healthy volunteers. Doses of sodium oxybate (1.125, 2.25, and 4.5 g/70 kg), triazolam (0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 mg/70 kg), and placebo were administered to 15 volunteers under repeated measures, counterbalanced, double-blind, double-dummy conditions. The time course and peak physiological, psychomotor, subjective, and cognitive effects were examined. Sodium oxybate and triazolam produced similar increases in participant ratings of drug effects. Performance on psychomotor, working memory, and episodic memory tasks was impaired to a greater extent after triazolam than sodium oxybate. Together, these data suggest that sodium oxybate produces less psychomotor and cognitive impairment than triazolam at doses that produce equivalent participant-rated subjective effects in healthy volunteers.