Central effects of sildenafil (Viagra) on auditory selective attention and verbal recognition memory in humans : a study with event-related brain potentials

• Published in: World journal of urology Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 46 - 50
• Main Authors: SCHULTHEISS, D, MÜLLER, S. V, NAGER, W, STIEF, C. G, SCHLOTE, N, JONAS, U, ASVESTIS, C, JOHANNES, S, MÜNTE, T. F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.02.2001; Berlin Springer Nature B.V; New York, NY
• Subjects: Adult; Attention - drug effects; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Central Nervous System - drug effects; Central Nervous System - physiology; Cognition & reasoning; Cross-Over Studies; Double-Blind Method; Evoked Potentials - drug effects; Genital system. Reproduction; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Memory; Memory - drug effects; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors - pharmacology; Piperazines - pharmacology; Purines; Sildenafil Citrate; Sulfones; Human; Recognition memory; Memory; Attention; Central nervous system; Potential; Crossover study; Central nervous system disease; Placebo; Secondary effect; Double blind study; Sildenafil; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0724-4983; 1433-8726
• DOI: 10.1007/PL00007092

The purpose of this study was to assess possible central side-effects of sildenafil (Viagra) on attention and memory functions. Sildenafil and placebo were administered in young male subjects in a double-blind balanced cross-over design. Behavioral patterns and event-related brain potentials (ERP) were recorded in a spatial auditory attention and a visual word recognition task. While behavioral patterns did not reveal any overt effects of sildenafil, auditory ERPs were indicative of an enhanced ability to focus attention (amplitude enhancement of Nd-effect) and to select relevant target stimuli in the sildenafil condition (P3 component). In the memory task, CNS-effects of sildenafil were evident in a reduction of a negativity in the 150-250 ms range. No overt effects on behavior were observed. Nevertheless, the data reveal CNS-effects of sildenafil necessitating further studies.