Abstract
Sixty healthy male volunteers were randomly assigned to one of six treatment groups on a doubleblind basis:
-
1.
Atenolol=50 mg t.d.s.
-
2.
Methyl dopa=250 mg t.d.s.
-
3.
Propanolol=40 mg t.d.s.
-
4.
Reserpine=0.2 mg t.d.s.
-
5.
Placebo.
-
6.
Control=no tablets.
Tests were carried out before treatment, 2 h after the first dose, after seven doses, and after 21 doses. Subjects performance on the Stroop Colour-Word Test was assessed in terms of (a) word reading speed and (b) an ‘interference’ score based on the difference between the incongruous colour word and colour card reading speed. No evidence was found of central effects of the beta-blockers, but personality x drug interactions were found, particularly in the reserpine group.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bainbridge, J. G., Greenwood, D. T.: Tranquillizing effects of propanolol demonstrated in rats. Neuropharmacology 10, 453–458 (1971)
Bayliss, P. F. C., Duncan, S. M.: The effects of atenolol (Tenormin) and methyl dopa on simple tests of central nervous function. Br. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 2, 527–531 (1975)
Betts, T. A., Blake, A.: The psychotropic effects of Tenormin in normal subjects. Preliminary findings. Postgrad. Med. J. 33 [Suppl. 3] (in press 1977)
Bonn, J. A., Turner, P.: d-propanolol and anxiety. Lancet 1971 I, 1355–1356
Callaway, E.: The influence of amobarbital (amylobarbitone) and methamphetamine on the focus of attention. J. Ment. Sci. 105, 382–392 (1959)
Callaway, E., Band, R. I.: Some psychopharmacological effects of atropine: preliminary investigation of broadened attention. Arch. Neurol. Psychiatry 79, 91–102 (1958)
Clayton, A. B.: The effects of psychotropic drugs on driving-related skills. Hum. Factors 18, 241–252 (1976)
Clayton, A. B., Betts, T. A., Harvey, P. G.: The influence of sex and personality factors upon the effect of tranquilizers on driving performance. Proceedings of 6th International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety, Toronto (1975)
Clayton, A. B., Harvey, P. G., Betts, T. A.: The effects of four antihypertensive agents upon the performance of normal subjects on driving-related skills. Departmental Report No. 48. Department of Transportation and Environmental Planning, University of Birmingham (1976)
Cronbach, L. J., Furby, L.: How should we measure change-or should we? Psychol. Bull. 74, 68–80 (1970)
Dyer, F. N.: The Stroop phenomenon and its use in the study of perceptual, cognitive and response processes. Memory and Cognition 1, 106–120 (1973)
Eysenck, H. J., Eysenck, S. G. B.: Manual of the Eysenck Personality Inventory. London: University of London Press 1964
Glaister, D. H., Harrison, M. H., Allnutt, M. F.: Experimental cardiovascular stress and the influence of oxprenolol. In: New perspectives in beta-blockade, D. M. Burley, J. H. Frier, R. K. Rondel, and S. H. Taylor, eds. Horsham, England: CIBA Laboratories 1973
Granville-Grossman, K. L., Turner, P.: The effect of propanolol on anxiety. Lancet 1966 I, 788–790
Hartley, L. R., Adams, R. G.: Effect of noise on the Stroop test. J. Exp. Psychol. 102, 62–66 (1974)
Jensen, A. R., Rowher, W. D. The Stroop Colour Word Test: a review. Acta Psychol. 25, 36–93 (1966)
Kellner, R., Collins, C., Shulman, R. S., Pathak, D.: The shortterm antianxiety effects of propanolol HCl. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 45, 557–560 (1972)
Lader, M. H., Tyrer, P.: Central and peripheral effects of propanolol and sotalol in normal human subjects. Br. J. Pharmacol. 45, 557–560 (1972)
Lee, W.: Experimental design and analysis San Francisco: W. H. Freeman 1975
Leszkovsky, G., Tardos, L.: Some effects of propanolol on the central nervous system. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 17, 518–519 (1965)
Moore, K. E.: Biochemical correlates of the behavioural effects of drugs. In: An introduction to psychopharmacology, R. H. Rech and K. E. Moore, eds. New York: Raven Press 1971
Munday, B., Kendall, M. S., Mitchard, M., Betts, T. A.: A single dose study of Trazadone with an assessment of its effects on mood and arousal. Br. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 2, 19–24 (1975)
Murmann, W., Almirante, L., Saccani-Guelfi, M.: Central nervous system effects of four beta-adrenergic receptor blocking agents. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 18, 317–318 (1966)
Ogle, C. W., Turner, P., Markomihelakis, H.: The effects of high doses of oxprenolol and of propanolol on pursuit rotor performance, reaction time and critical flicker frequency. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 46, 295–299 (1976)
Orzak, M. H., Branconnier, R., Gardos, G.: CNS effects of propanolol in man. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 29, 299–306 (1973)
Poulton, E. C.: Unwanted range effects from using within-subjects experimental designs. Psychol. Bull. 80, 113–121 (1973)
Straumanis, J. R., Shagass, C.: Electrophysiological effects of triiodothyronine and propanolol. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 46, 283–288 (1976)
Stroop, J. R.: Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. J. Exp. Psychol. 18, 643–662 (1935)
Turner, P., Hedges, A.: An investigation of the central effects of oxprenolol. In: New perspectives in beta blockade, D. M. Burley, J. H. Frier, R. K. Rondel, and S. H. Taylor, eds. Horsham, England: CIBA Laboratories 1973
Tyrer, P.: The role of bodily feelings in anxiety London: Oxford University Press 1976
Wheatley, D.: Comparative effects of propanolol and chlordiazepoxide in anxiety states. Br. J. Psychiat. 115, 1411–1412 (1969)
Winer, B. J.: Statistical principles in experimental design, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill 1971
Zilm, D. H., Sellers, E. M.: The effect of propanolol on normal physiological tremor. Electroencephalogr. Clin. Neurophysiol. 41, 310–313 (1976)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Harvey, P.G., Clayton, A.B. & Betts, T.A. The effects of four antihypertensive agents on the stroop colour-word test in normal male volunteer subjects. Psychopharmacology 54, 133–138 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426768
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426768