Skip to main content
Log in

Smooth-pursuit eye movements, and diazepam, CPZ, and secobarbital

  • Original Investigations
  • Human Pharmacology
  • Published:
Psychopharmacologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examined the effects on smooth-pursuit eye tracking of single doses of CPZ (0.667 and 1.334 mg/kg), diazepam (0.071, 0.142, and 0.284 mg/kg), and secobarbital (100 mg). Only the barbiturate significantly affected the ability to follow a moving target with smooth-pursuit eye movements. In repeated testing of a single subject, 130 mg of secobarbital disrupted smooth-pursuit movements at least until 24 hrs after ingestion.

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.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baird, E. S., Hailey, D. M.: Delayed recovery from a sedative: Correlation of the plasma levels of diazepam with clinical effects after oral and intravenous administration. Brit. J. Anaesth. 44, 803–808 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Baird, E. S., Hailey, D. M.: Plasma levels of diazepam and its major metabolite following intramuscular administration. Brit. J. Anaesth. 45, 546–547 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Benitez, J. T.: Eye-tracking and optokinetic tests: Diagnostic significance in peripheral and central vestibular disorders. Laryngoscope (St. Louis) 80, 834–848 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bochenek, Z., Ormerod, F. C.: The inhibitory action of certain substances on the response to vestibular stimulation. J. Laryng. 76, 39–44 (1962)

    Google Scholar 

  • Corvera, J., Lombardo, L., Torres, G. C.: Alteraciones nistagmograficas en lesiones del tallo cerebral. Neurol. Neurocir. Psiquiat. (Mex.) 7, 77–86 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Curry, S. H.: The determination and possible significance of plasma levels of chlorpromazine in psychiatric patients. Aggressologie 9, 1–5 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Curry, S. H., Marshall, J. H. L.: Plasma levels of chlorpromazine and some of its relatively nonpolar metabolites in psychiatric patients. Life Sci. 7, 9–17 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Curry, S. H., Davis, J. M., Janowsky, D. S., Marshall, J. H. L.: Factors affecting chlorpromazine plasma levels in psychiatric patients. Arch. gen. Psychiat. 22, 209–215 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Foster, L. B., Frings, C. S.: Determination of diazepam (Valium) concentrations in serum by gas-liquid chromatography. Clin. Chem. 16, 177–179 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Holzman, P. S., Proctor, L. R., Hughes, D. W.: Eye-tracking patterns in schizophrenia. Science 181, 179–181 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Holzman, P. S., Proctor, L. R., Levy, D. L., Yasillo, N., Meltzer, H. Y., Hurt, S. W.: Eye-tracking dysfunctions in schizophrenic patients and their relatives. Arch. gen. Psychiat. 31, 143–151 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jung, R., Kornhuber, H. H.: The oculomotor system, pp. 452–454. M. B. Bender, ed. New York: Harper & Row 1964

    Google Scholar 

  • von Noorden, G. K., Thompson, H. S., Van Allen, M. W. Eye movements in myotonic dystrophy: An electrooculographic study. Invest. Ophthal. 3, 314–324 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Norris, H.: The time course of barbiturate action in man investigated by measurement of smooth tracking eye movement. Brit. J. Pharmacol. Chemother. 33, 117–128 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rashbass, C.: The relationship between saccadic and smooth tracking eye movements. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 159, 326–338 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rashbass, C., Russell, G. F. M.: Action of a barbiturate drug (Amylobarbitone sodium) on the vestibulo-ocular reflex. Brain 84, 329–335 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, M. A., Koechlin, B. A., Postma, E., Palmer, S., Krol, G.: Metabolism of diazepam in rat, dog, and man. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 149, 423–435 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • de Silva, J. A. F., Schwartz, M. A., Stefanovic, V., Kaplan, J., D'Arconte, L.: Determination of diazepam (Valium) in blood by gas liquid chromatography. Analyt. Chem. 36, 2099–2104 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This study was supported in part by grant MH-19477, USPHS, and USFDA contract No. 72-42. Dr. Holzman is the recipient of Research Scientist Award No. K5-MH-70900, USPHS. We express our thanks to Dr. Alfred Heller for helpful comment.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Holzman, P.S., Levy, D.L., Uhlenhuth, E.H. et al. Smooth-pursuit eye movements, and diazepam, CPZ, and secobarbital. Psychopharmacologia 44, 111–115 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00420996

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00420996

Key words

Navigation