Abstract
It was tested whether a depletion in resources can account for the benzodiazepine-induced memory impairment. In two experiments, it was examined whether dividing attention had a disproportionately detrimental effect on learning semantically related and unrelated word pairs after diazepam intake. Word pairs had to be learned in both a single task condition and while performing a visual discrimination task concurrently (dual task condition). Moreover, the complexity of the visual discrimination task was manipulated systematically. Diazepam (15 mg, orally) or placebo was administered in a double-blind, between-subjects design. Subjects after diazepam intake were clearly impaired in learning unrelated word pairs, but not in learning related word pairs. Dividing attention in the dual task condition was associated with a reduction in learning unrelated word pairs, but this was not disproportionately reduced after diazepam intake. Moreover, the magnitude of resource depletion did not correlate with the severity of the diazepam-induced memory impairment. In general, the pattern of results does not support the hypothesis that a depletion of resources can explain the benzodiazepine-induced memory impairment.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 27 October 1997 / Final version: 18 December 1997
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gorissen, M., Eling, P. Dual task performance after diazepam intake: can resource depletion explain the benzodiazepine-induced amnesia?. Psychopharmacology 138, 354–361 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002130050681
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002130050681