Skip to main content
Log in

Flumazenil has an anxiolytic effect in simulated stress

  • Rapid Communication
  • Published:
Psychopharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study was designed to test whether or not flumazenil (1 mg IV) would change levels of anxiety induced by simulation of public speaking (PSS). Forty normal volunteers were randomly allocated in a parallel groups design to treatment with flumazenil or placebo (double-blind) and one of two stress conditions (PSS/control task). PSS increased anxiety and flumazenil antagonized this effect. The anxiolytic activity of flumazenil was particularly strong on anticipatory anxiety measures. The results were discussed in terms of the involvement of endogenous benzodiazepine-type ligands in the regulation of the human response to stress.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  • Bond AJ, Lader MH (1974) The use of analogous scales in rating subjective feelings. Br J Med Psychol 47:211–218

    Google Scholar 

  • Curran HV, Birch B (1991) Differentiating the sedative, psychomotor and amnestic effects of benzodiazepines: a study with midazolam and the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil. Psychopharmacology 103:519–523

    Google Scholar 

  • Dollery S (1991) Flumazenil. In: Dollery C (ed) Therapeutic drugs, vol 1. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh London Melbourne New York Tokyo Madrid

    Google Scholar 

  • Guimarães FS, Zuardi AW, Graeff FG (1987) Effect of chlorimipramine and maprotiline on experimental anxiety in humans. J Psychopharmacol 1:184–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Higgit A, Lader M, Fonagy P (1986) The effects of the benzodiazepine antagonists Ro 15–1788 on psychophysiological performance and subjective measures in normal subjects. Psychopharmacology 89:395–403

    Google Scholar 

  • Izquierdo I, Medina JH (1991) GABA-A receptor modulation of memory: the role of endogenous benzodiazepines. Trends Neurosci 12:260–265

    Google Scholar 

  • Lezak (1984) Neuropsychological assessment, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • McNair DM, Frankenthaler IM, Czerlinsky T, White TW, Sasson S, Fischer S (1982) Simulated public speaking as a model of clinical anxiety. Psychopharmacology 77:7–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Medina JH, Novas ML, Wolfman C, Levi de Stein M, De Robertis E (1983) Benzodiazepine receptors in rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus undergo rapid and reversible changes after acute stress. Neuroscience 9:331–335

    Google Scholar 

  • Nutt D, Lawson C (1992) Panic attacks — a neurochemical overview of models and mechanisms. Br. J Psychiatry 160:165–178

    Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger CD, Gorsuch RL, Lushene RE (1970) Manual for the state-trait anxiety inventory. Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto, California

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kapczinski, F., Curran, H.V., Gray, J. et al. Flumazenil has an anxiolytic effect in simulated stress. Psychopharmacology 114, 187–189 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245463

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245463

Key words

Navigation