Benzodiazepines have no effect on fear-potentiated startle in humans

• Published in: Psychopharmacologia Vol. 161; no. 3; pp. 233 - 247
• Main Authors: BAAS, Johanna M. P, GRILLON, Christian, BÖCKER, Koen B. E, BRACK, Anouk A, MORGAN, Charles A, KENEMANS, J. Leon, VERBATEN, Marinus N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.05.2002; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Analysis of Variance; Anti-Anxiety Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Anxiety Agents - therapeutic use; Anxiety - drug therapy; Anxiety - physiopathology; Anxiety disorders. Neuroses; Biological and medical sciences; Diazepam - pharmacology; Diazepam - therapeutic use; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Electromyography; Electroshock; Fear - drug effects; Fear - physiology; Female; Habituation, Psychophysiologic - physiology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Neuropharmacology; Oxazepam - pharmacology; Oxazepam - therapeutic use; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Photic Stimulation; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psycholeptics: tranquillizer, neuroleptic; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychomotor Performance - drug effects; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Reflex, Startle - drug effects; Reflex, Startle - physiology; Human; Intravenous administration; Healthy subject; Psychotropic; Anxiety disorder; Oral administration; Startle reflex; Oxazepam; Biological activity; Subjective evaluation; Fear; Tranquillizer; Benzodiazepine derivatives; Anxiety; Models; Diazepam

Pre-clinical and clinical investigations have provided a great deal of evidence that the fear-potentiated startle paradigm represents a valid model for the objective assessment of emotional states of anxiety and fear. The four studies presented in this report sought to further validate the "thr...